The Titan Blades
by The Arcan Blades
Summary: The Bladebreakers meet a most interesting set of beybladers who turn out to be one of the fiercest opponents they will ever encounter. UPDATED! Distractions of the heart--will the Finals be jeopardized by their feelings for one another?
1. Chapter One The Unknown Blader

**Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade. At all. We wish we did, so we'd be able to completely crash the beyblades up and down our neighborhood…**

**Author's Note: All right, guys! Let's have the low down on what's up with this before we continue. **

- So, in order to put the events in this story properly, I won't exactly be following the series' story in the tournament. There will be obvious changes in it. 

- There will be _very _slight_ OOC-ness (most obvious on Kai's part, but it happens to be necessary because, like I said, there'll be changes in the latter part of the story), but it is necessary for the plot to get going._

- Flamers would be totally ignored and completely disregarded so stop wasting your precious time flaming because _it will not work._

- The pairings in the story is for you to discover. I ain't telling unless you read. But I must say…none of us are too fond of Mariah. We don't hate her, but we…just aren't with her.

- Read and review!!

          Okay, so is everything cool? Should you dislike any of the settings of this story, feel free to hit the Back button and get the heck out of here. If you're fine with it, then I won't keep you from the story. Here it is—Chapter One.

**CHAPTER ONE**

**The Unknown Blader**

Lightning cracked and thunder flashed as rain poured down in torrents outside the window of the rented cabin the Bladebreakers were in. Kenny jumped up with a yell on his bed. He stopped, clutching at the blankets on his bed nervously. The lightning cracked again and he yelled once again as he ducked under his bed.

"Chief, pipe down," Max begged from the bed next to his, as the Bladebreakers were all sharing the same room. "How are we supposed to get any sleep if you keep yelling like that?"

"S-Sorry, Max," Kenny stammered. "It was the thunder."

"Ah, don't worry about it, Chief, it can't hurt you," said Max sleepily as he rolled over and pulled the covers up to his ears.

_Yeah…_ Kenny thought. _Max is right…it can't hurt me…_

_CRASH!!_

"Aaah!!" Kenny yelled, ducking again.

"Chief!!" all four of the other Bladebreakers chorused this time. "Shut up!!"

Kenny reddened. "Uh…okay, guys…" Sighing, he got up and said to himself, "Maybe if I get myself some hot chocolate or something, I'll feel better."

"Yeah, go do that," said Tyson sleepily flopping facefirst into his pillow and a snore soon issued out from him. Kai, who was too sleepy to be grumpy, said nothing and fell back on his pillow, while Ray only groaned, shook his head, and went back to sleep.

Kenny quietly sneaked out of the bedroom and over to the kitchen area on the outer part of the cabin. He winced again and his cry was muffled by the thunder this time. _And a good thing, too_, he thought. _They must all be back to sleep already in there..._

As Kenny pulled out the can of cocoa from the pantry, he thought, _Well__, it's been a couple of days since Tyson and the others decided that we hop around __Europe__ for a bit before we get to the Russian tournament. We haven't seen very many bladers either. And those Dark Bladers has been no help to us either...I don't even know why I let them talk me into this! I wonder where we'll possibly end up this time...we're cabined in the middle of nowhere, practically..._

Kenny passed by the window in the kitchen and stopped. He thought he saw a figure moving in the grounds outside. "What…was that?" he said to no one in particular. "M-Maybe it was just my imagination."

The lightning flashed again, and Kenny stifled a gasp as a silhouette was illuminated outside. Someone _was _outside in the cabin grounds. He couldn't see it very well, though—it was too dark outside and the rain was pouring too hard.

_Who could _that_ be at this time of night?_ he wondered.

He peered anxiously out the window, waiting for the next flash of lightning to illuminate the outside. But as he strained to get a good look, the rain slightly slowed enough to allow him to see the dark shape of the person outside. Whoever it was, he was standing in front of a great oak tree in the yard, and he seemed to be tinkering with something in his hands. Kenny couldn't understand at first, but it wasn't until he went into a familiar, particular stance that Kenny finally understood.

"He's holding a Beyblade," he muttered.

And then something extraordinary happened, as the lightning bolt Kenny was waiting for didn't exactly come as he wanted.

The person outside, his yell drowned out by the pouring rain, let loose the beyblade in a powerful blast that looked like it was shot from a cannon. The beyblade shot out and slammed with incredible force into the trunk of the oak tree. Red orange sparks flew wildly upon impact, and from out of nowhere, a jagged bolt of lightning descended with the roaring to thunder, splitting the skies and striking the very spot where the beyblade on the tree was—as if the beyblade actually brought it about.

Kenny screamed and ducked as with a loud crash, the oak tree outside fell with a deafening crash that sounded over all the other noises. For a moment, everything for Kenny faded out. And the next thing he knew, there was movement around him and voices that sounded over the noise of the fading rain.

"Chief! Chief, are you all right? Chief!"

Kenny blinked and looked up. His vision cleared, and he saw Tyson looking down at him with the other Bladebreakers nearby. "Chief, what happened?" Tyson asked, looking stunned.

"That was an awful scream," said Max, looking rather pale. "You sounded like you were about to get killed or something."

"H-Huh?" asked Kenny, confused for a moment.

"We ran out here when you yelled," said Ray. "What's up?"

Kenny tried to find his voice. "I—you see—outside—the tree…it was…"

Kai stared at him incredulously and looked out the window. He frowned at it as he said, "The glass is broken. Did you get hit?"

"No," said Kenny. He leapt to his feet. "But seriously, guys, I saw something awesome out there! That beyblade—it was awesome! It knocked down the oak tree in one rip!"

"What?" Tyson asked. "It knocked down the oak tree?"

"No way," said Max. "Oak trees are the sturdiest trees in the world. It would take a couple of hits for a beyblade to just crash through it, let alone knock it down."

"But really!" said Kenny. "I saw it!"

Ray said calmly, "I guess the only way to see that is if we go outside and see for ourselves."

"Aw, guys, can't we do this in the morning?" groaned Tyson. "I'd like to have some shuteye, you know."

"Come on, Tyson, this is important!" said Ray. "If what Kenny says is true, then that must have been one powerful beyblade."

Kai paused for a moment, and then headed for the direction of the doorway. Obviously, if it was a powerful blade, he of all of them wanted to see it for himself. Max, Ray and Kenny went after him, and Tyson groaned and went as well.

The Bladebreakers went out of the cabin, and fortunately, the rain had stopped and there were nothing more but the occasional tiny droplets that fell. The group walked out into the wet grass with Kai in the lead and Tyson sneezed.

"Darn!" he sniffed. "It's cold out here."

"It's midnight and it's just rained," said Max as he looked at his watch. "I wouldn't be surprised."

Kenny looked around. "Hey. That boy who was here is gone."

"Are you sure there even _was_ someone out here?" asked Max. "I mean, who would be crazy enough to practice through a storm?"

"Someone who knew that his beyblade could be used in regards to this situation," said Kai, who was right, as usual. "Whoever he was, he must have known that his beyblade can bring about some power which can be used in a thunderstorm. Assuming, of course, there _was_ someone here in the first place…"

They reached the tree, and Max said, "Whoa…that tree's been knocked right over!"

"More like split," said Ray, walking over and looking at the splintered bottom of the tree. He touched the scorched edges and said, "Guys, this tree's been struck by lightning. I think that's what had knocked it over."

"See, Kenny?" said Tyson. "It was just lightning. I think your paranoia over the Russian tournament is finally getting to your head. You're starting to see things!"

"No, really, I really did see someone out here a while ago!" said Kenny. "Someone was out here with a beyblade. And when his blade hit the tree, the lighting ran after it and knocked the tree down!"

"How do you know that the lightning didn't just hit it?" asked Max. "I mean, it happens a lot to trees like oaks—lightning's the only thing that can get them over…"

"Guys, you have to believe me!" said Kenny.

Ray, who was thinking, said, "Hmm…but if Kenny is telling the truth, that beyblade must be one serious lightning conductor. In other words, it must have more metal than your average beyblade."

Kai was not listening. He was squatting down, looking at the tree stump that was scorched and splintered. He frowned at it, and took a closer look. Finally, he saw it—the impact point. It was a sharp gash in one side of the tree, like it was hacked through by something sharp as it was paler than the other parts. He put his hand against it, and felt it still warm.

_It's warm…the friction must have been really strong…  he_ stood up and said without turning around, "He's right. A Beyblade did this."

"What?" they all asked.

"Look," he said, pointing at the gash. "That's the point where the beyblade hit. This tree didn't crash because of the lightning—it crashed because the beyblade that hit it was _powered _by that lightning. It's still warm—it had strong friction—enough to scorch the tree. The beyblade conducted the lightning to the tree and it used its power well enough to crash into the tree and knock it over."

"See?" said Kenny happily. "I told you!"

"But...how powerful can that beyblade be to be able to knock over an oak tree?" asked Max.

Ray turned to Kenny. "Did you see if it had a bit beast?"

Kenny shook his head. "I didn't see a bit beast. It just crashed into the tree and sparks went flying. There wasn't a bit beast that appeared."

Kai looked serious. "If that blade was able to knock down an oak tree in one shot with no bit beast, then that must be a seriously powerful blade." He turned to Kenny. "Did you see the beyblader?"

Kenny shook his head. "It was too dark, and the rain was pouring too hard. I didn't see him too clearly."

Tyson groaned. "Great. Just when we've found a really powerful beyblade! I wanted to take it on and we don't even know who controls it!"

"Tyson, don't be so arrogant," Kai snapped. "If a beyblade like that can do this to a tree, what do you think it can do to _your_ beyblade? You'll be defeated before it even starts..."

Tyson looked surprised for a moment, but said nothing.

"This isn't the time for you to be so brash, Tyson," said Ray. "We've never encountered a beyblade like that before and I don't think we should take any unnecessary chances."

"I get your point," said Tyson slowly and sighed. "All right. But still, it wouldn't hurt if we asked who owned it, right?"

"Well…I guess so," said Max with a shrug. "And how hard can that be? I don't think that a lot of people around here have beyblades anyway."

"We'll ask around tomorrow, then," said Kenny, who looked strangely elated in spite of what happened. "If we find out who it is, then I'll have a chance to see that beyblade up close! I'm telling you guys, you should've seen it for yourselves!"

Kai said nothing, as usual. He snorted, and turned, heading back to the cabin without another word said. 

"Hey Kai, wait up!" Tyson yelled as the others followed after him.

"Pipe down, Tyson, you'll wake up the whole cabin grounds," Kai snarled as he walked indoors.

"Wow, I can't wait to see who it is too!" said Max, also going into the cabin and Ray added, "But whoever it might be, he mightn't be so friendly just like that, you know…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Tyson's fading voice as Kenny walked into the cabin with a final glance at the fallen tree. From outside, one could hear the Bladebreaker's voices.

"Aaah! I'm so tired!" Tyson said, "You guys woke me up at one-twenty in the morning!"

"But all for a good cause," said Max.

"Yeah, I'll say," said Ray.

"Chief, what is going on?!" demanded Dizzi's indignant voice. "You left me here all by myself and I didn't get a piece of the juicy info! What happened?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow, Dizzi," laughed Chief.

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP AND GO BACK TO SLEEP!!" Kai yelled, and utter silence finally reigned in the cabin.

From the yard in front of another cabin not too far away from the Bladebreakers' own, the wooden door slowly creaked open into the room dimly lit with light to receive a figure rather sodden with rainwater. One glove-adorned hand gripped a shooter with a ripcord readily loaded into it, while the other held a beyblade hidden in the shadows of the room.

The figure walked in, trailing water and some mud from his rubber shoes, and a he stepped into the living room area, a figure moved from the doorway across him. Instantly, the beyblade was loaded onto the shooter and aimed in a defensive stance. 

"Hey, take it easy!" said the figure from the other doorway, raising up her hands to show that they were empty. "It's me."

The figure with the beyblade let out his breath. He flicked on the light switch in the wall next to him and the room flooded over with light and the two figures were shown clearly. The boy who just entered, dripping in rainwater from red-capped head to toe, had his black hair nearly flattened down and shiny in the wet. His eyes were green and bright and he looked wide awake in spite of the fact that it was one-twenty in the morning at that time. He was still fully arrayed in his civilian clothes consisting of a white shirt and brown baggy cargo pants and black rubber shoes. On his hands were jet black gloves.

"You startled me," he said to the figure on the other door, which was a girl of his age. Her silver hair that swept down to her upper arms was besprinkled with tiny braids on some places, and she rubbed her wine red eyes sleepily as she walked into her room still clad in her pajamas.

"You're still up?" she asked. "Man, you're obsessed."

"Yeah, well…" his voice trailed off as he shook out the wet from his jacket. As he did, the girl who arrived walked over to a nearby window and looked outside. Her eyes widened. "Wow, you did _that_? You sure are getting better…"

"It's not at all that hard if you know how," he answered calmly as he pocketed the blade and shooter in his hands. "Our blades were designed to be able to do something like that easily."

"I know," she answered as she drew back the curtains from the window. She turned back to the boy, who was now sitting on a wooden seat and said, "You're wet all over. You better get out of those clothes."

"Right, right…" he said, standing up. "Honestly, Alexia, you're acting like you're my mother or something."

"Hey!" she exclaimed, making a face at him. "I'm just saying! Besides, you're our captain and if you get sick, that's one blader lost for us, Mike."

She followed him into the one large room that served for a bedroom for their group. The other two figures were still in the beds, sleeping rather soundly. As they walked in, one of the figures sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes.

"Mike? Alexia? What are you guys doing up at this time of night?" she asked.

"Mike was practicing outside," said Alexia. "Pretty crazy if you ask me—it was _pouring_ out there awhile ago!"

The girl on the bed, who was also their age, sat up and said, "What?! You were out there in a _thunderstorm_?"

"Take it easy, Jade—I was just giving Archonwolf the lightning treatment," said Mike with a smirk. "You should check out the tree outside."

"What about it?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Let's just say it's been…wasted," he replied as he vanished into the bathroom with a towel and fresh clothes.

Alexia looked at Jade and shrugged, and the older girl just groaned and flopped back on the bed.

**Author's Note: Right. There's chapter one. Hope you liked it. We'll have chapter two up. Review and tell us what you think!**


	2. Chapter Two The Arcans

**Disclaimer**: The Arcan Blades do not own Beyblade. We dearly, dearly, wish we did, though.

**Author's Note: Did you review? No? That's okay. Yes? Thank you! Anyway, to keep the show going, we've posted up Chapter Two. Remember, like we said in Chapter One, flamers are not going to be paid any attention to. Read and review, all right?**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**The Arcans**

The sun rose on a cloudless sky the next morning, and it looked as if it had never even rained in the first place. The sunlight spread over the grounds of the cabins, and revealed a massive, beautiful landscape of green with deep blue mountains capped with white ice. The pine needles sparkled in dew in the morning sunlight.

Tyson yawned loudly as he stretched out on the doorway of their cabin. He took a deep breath of fresh air and said, "Wow, there's nothing like a good night's sleep to get you up and going in the morning." He looked at Max next to him and said, "Well, are we all ready?"

"Ready for what, Tyson?" Max asked, blinking.

"To look for that beyblade, of course!" said Tyson. "Man, I can't wait to see who that guy was and see what his beyblade can do." He turned to Kenny, who just walked up by him and said, "You got all the luck, Chief, you saw it first hand."

"Yeah, I guess so," muttered Kenny. "But I still can't shake it off… That beyblade's power was just...amazing. I couldn't understand it."

"I'd hate to say it, but neither can I," commented Dizzi as Ray and Kai also arrived in front of the cabin. "Chief and I tried to compute the possibility of power but there was just too large a power range that could've been derived if the beyblade had been pumped up by power from the lightning."

"That's why I'm so psyched about it," said Tyson with a toothy grin. He looked around at what looked like the six other cabins in the area. "Come on, let's start looking, then."

"Yeah, there couldn't be a lot of people with a beyblade like that around here," said Ray.

Kai snorted and said, "This is a waste of time. What good will finding about him do? At the power you guys currently have, you couldn't possibly defeat him and his blade anyway."

"And so you're saying that _you_ do?" Tyson asked, putting his hands to his hips.

"Yes," said Kai bluntly, glaring back at him.

"Yeah, right," Tyson snorted.

"Guys, guys, take it easy," said Max, taking the both of them apart. "No one's going to do any fighting anyway, right? So let's just go find that blader."

"Yeah, he might be participating in the Russian tournament too, with power like that," said Ray with a nod. He led the way as he said, "So let's go, then. I want to see who he is too."

So the Bladebreakers made their way across the grounds in search for the blader. They haven't gone very far when they saw three kids a little younger than they were around a beystadium. They recognized them as the children of the man who owned the cabins.

"Hey, why don't we ask them?" asked Ray. "Maybe they might know something."

Tyson walked over to the three and said, "Hey you guys." He tapped one boy on the shoulder and asked, "Hey, Jamie, how's it going?"

"Oh, hello, Bladebreakers," said blonde-haired Jamie with a bright smile.

"Yeah, hello, um, we wanted to ask you something," said Kenny. "You didn't happen to see anyone around here who looked like he had a really good beyblade, did you?"

"Huh?" Jamie blinked, but shook his head. "Georg and I didn't, but Marta did." He motioned to his blonde sister. 

Marta pulled on her pigtail and nodded. "I think I might. I was here earlier, and I saw someone walk away from this beystadium. I went to get a better look and see what happened to the beystadium!"

She turned around, picked it up, and showed it to the Bladebreakers.

"Whoa…"came their stupefied chorus.

Although they were all used to seeing a scratched beystadium due to its continued use and the running of beyblades, this one's image _had_ to astound them. The beystadium was not scratched—it was literally _gouged_ in the swirling pattern of a beyblade's path. And there was not just one, but several of the gouges, crisscrossing over each other. 

"I don't believe it," Ray said, looking stunned. "The stadium had been carved by the beyblade!"

Kai took it from Marta's hands and took a closer look as Georg said, "Either that beyblade was really strong, or it was spinning so fast that the stadium's plastic melted."

"Or maybe both," said Dizzi. "It certainly seems to be so judging by the looks of that stadium."

Kai, looking it over, said, "More than one beyblade did this."

"What?" they all asked, looking at him. He said nothing, but he threw the stadium at Max, who caught it and said, "Hey, Kai's right. It looks like two beyblades fought here and carved the stadium."

"Way cool," breathed Tyson. He turned to the kids again. "Hey, did you see the guys who did this to the stadium?"

"Oh, I saw!" said Marta. She pointed over to a nearby cabin. "I saw someone go around that abandoned cabin just as I found the beystadium."

"All right, let's go!" said Tyson, racing off with Ray and Kai. Max gave the stadium back to the kids with a grin and followed after with Kenny in tow.

The Bladebreakers hurried off to the abandoned cabin. "I saw a cabin behind this one when we arrived," said Ray. "There must be someone occupying that one."

"Well, let's go see, then," said Tyson. 

As they turned the bend, they heard a sound.

_Whoosh—Thwack!!_

"Huh?" said Tyson, confused. "What was that?"

"Hey, look over there!" Max exclaimed, pointing.

From a  nearby tree, a few leaves fell as an arrow that had just been embedded into its trunk stopped shivering. They looked to the person who shot it, and saw that it was a girl their age, calmly fitting another arrow onto her bowstring. She had shiny straight black hair in a high ponytail on her head and swept down to her hips, and bright green eyes. Her garb was a shiny jade green eighties-style jacket, with a tight black one piece turtleneck and pants suit. On her hands were black gloves and on her feet were green ankle-cut boots.

"Cool," said Kenny. "She's an archer."

She stopped and looked to the Bladebreakers. She blinked and asked, "Um…can I help you?"

"Oh, yeah, you can," said Ray with a smile. "You don't happen to know any really good bladers around here, do you?"

"I might," she said with a laugh. "Why do you ask?"

"Our interest was piqued," Max laughed as he jerked his thumb to the fallen oak tree in the distance behind them. "We wanted to know whose beyblade knocked the tree over."

She turned a little serious at this. And then, after a slight pause, she asked, "You know that a beyblade knocked that tree over?"

Kenny nodded. "I saw someone shoot a beyblade outside last night. The beyblade conducted the lightning's power to knock over the tree."

"And we saw the evidence," said Tyson. "We saw the scorch marks made by the blade."

And now, the girl stopped and lowered her bow and arrow. She regarded them for a moment before saying, "You must be really good bladers yourselves to be able to tell." She placed the bow and the quiver of arrows up on her back and asked, "Why look for whoever it was here?"

"The cabin owners' children saw someone go this way after they found a gouged beystadium," said Kai gruffly. "And if I'm not mistaken, that beystadium had been destroyed just recently." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Am I right in guessing that you must know something about this, miss?"

She frowned slightly at Kai, but said nothing. But before she could do anything, a figure materialized in the cabin behind the girl. It was the same girl with silver hair braided in parts and wine red eyes except that she was now wearing a shiny black trenchcoat and with lavender trimmings and a lavender underside. She also wore black boots that reached below her knees and lavender gauntlets.

She came out from the door and said, "Hey, Jade, can't you help us out in here?"

She stopped and looked up. She saw the Bladebreakers. "It looks like we've got visitors," she said with a light grin. She walked up to the girl named Jade and said to the boys, "What's your business here, boys?"

"Hey, is there someone here who's a really good beyblader?" asked Tyson. "Or maybe someone with a powerful beyblade?"

Alexia frowned at this and looked at Jade, who muttered to her, "They saw the tree, Alexia."

To which the silver-haired girl groaned and said, "Darn it...I _knew_ Mike shouldn't have gone out there…"

"Mike?" the Bladebreakers asked.

Alexia just shook her head and looked over the Bladebreakers again. She stared at them for a moment and said, "Hey, I know you guys. You're the Block A World Championship winners. The Japanese national team--The Bladebreakers. Am I right?"

Kai nodded once. "Yeah. So what?"

"Well no wonder," said Jade with a slight laugh. She looked at them and said, "Well, you're right. There _are_ some good bladers here. And actually, we know who knocked over that tree."

"Who?" they asked.

"I did."

They looked up at the sound of the new voice. After about two seconds' brief glancing about, they spotted a figure shrouded in shadow leaning against the tree that Jade had previously been shooting arrows on. The figure against the tree looked up, and it was indeed the young man who'd shot the tree down with a lightning-energized beyblade. He stepped into the light, and the red-capped figure came into full view.

"Bladebreakers," he said with a nod.

"And you are?" asked Dizzi.

He gave them a look and looked to the girls, who just shrugged. He looked back at the Bladebreakers with a grin and held out his hand. "I'm Mikhail Xerxes. But you can call me Mike like everybody else does."

Tyson grinned. "You knocked over the tree? Wow, that's awesome…" he shook Mike's extended hand. "I'm Tyson, and that's Max, Kenny, Ray and our captain, Kai."

"I know all about you," said Mike with a grin. "You beat those know-it-all All-Stars in Las Vegas. Good for you—science doesn't solve it all, I'll say."

"So…if you're that good, to be able to knock that tree over and all, does that mean that you'll be in the Russian championships too?" asked Ray.

"Yeah," said Mike, sounding utterly calm even though faced by the entire team from Japan. "I will."

Kai, looking at the girls for a bit, turned to Mike again, "Do you have a team?"

Mike looked at him and answered, "Well…yes. Of course."

Ray knew where Kai was going with this, so he immediately stepped in. "Wait a second--if you're going to be in Russia, then what are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing!" said Jade with a smile.

"Well…we were…on a training…trip…" said Kenny, getting a sweatdrop.

"Really? I heard you guys got left by your boat," said Alexia, grinning.

"Yeah, that too…" said Max, scratching his head sheepishly.

Mike laughed. "Actually, I'm here because I wanted to kill time. I saw no sense in going to Russia before due. There wasn't a point in hanging around there and going at all the other bladers. But I must admit…I didn't expect to see you guys here."

"Neither did we…" said Kenny.

Mike shrugged. "Well, if you guys made it into the Russian Tournaments, then that must mean that you guys are pretty good."

"Same to you," said Ray.

"Hey," said Alexia, stepping forward. "You guys watch out for a bunch of creepazoids out there. They call themselves the Dark Bladers. Really creepy guys…"

"Say no more," said Kenny, shaking his head. "We know them. They've been bothering us too."

"They have, have they?" asked Jade. "I knew it. They're targeting the contestants of the Russian Tournament. They've tried to get us down, too, and they've been hanging around up and down Europe like bats."

"Yeah, they want to destroy every single bit beast in the world," said Max. "They have this grudge against people with bit beasts."

The three stopped. "Bit beasts?"

"Yeah," said Ray, lifting up his Driger and the bit piece with Driger on it glimmered. "Bit beasts."

"Oh so _that's_ what you call them where you come from," said Alexia with a smile. "We don't call them that. We call them relics."

Tyson grinned. "Hey, it's just like what the tape said—different people from different countries have various names for bit beasts. Hey, where do you guys from anyway?"

"Arcanis," said Alexia with a smile.

"Oh…" Max nodded, and then stopped. "I've never heard of it."

"We don't expect you to," Jade laughed. She looked at the other two, "Um, guys, whose turn is it to chop the firewood for breakfast today?"

"Yours," the other two said.

Jade sighed. "Right, right. Firewood's at the back, right?"

Alexia nodded, and as Jade turned to walk off, Ray stepped forward, "Hey wait, let me help you with that."

"What?" everyone asked, and Ray shrugged, "Well, why not? It's just firewood—and I used to get firewood a lot when I traveled alone…"

Jade looked at him and shrugged. "Well…All right. I guess if you really want to…"

"Hey, I have an idea!" said Kenny with a smile. "Why don't we all have breakfast together?"

"You've _got_ to be kidding," Kai muttered.

"Why not?" asked Tyson. "I mean, we're all fellow bladers, right? And we're all friends so...why not? That way, we'll have twice as much food!"

"Yeah, I think that's a great idea!" said Max, grinning from ear to ear.

Mike smiled slightly. "I'll, uh…go wake Patrick. Alexia, you go get food, why don't you?"

"Oh, all right," said Alexia. "I'll go to the store right now."

"We'll go with you!" chirruped the Bladebreakers. 

"Excuse me?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow as Jade and Ray started walking off to the backyard of the cabin. "What did you mean by _we_?!"

"Come on, Kai, don't be such a spoilsport," said Tyson, grinning at their less-than-ecstatic captain. "It'll be great eating out with friends!"

Kai snorted and turned, and met Alexia's eyes. Alexia grinned slightly at him, and he sniffed again but started walking to he direction of the store. "Yeah, that's the spirit, Kai!" cheered Max. "Hey guys, let's go!"

Mike laughed quietly to himself and he turned to the direction of the cabin, but still looked rather serious. "Hmm…the Bladebreaker team…they're inexperienced, but they have more than enough potential to be a fierce opponent in the championships…"

**Author's Note: Ta-da! Chapter two is over. We've got a battle coming up in the third chapter. So review, all right? And tell us if we should continue!**


	3. Chapter Three The Vampire Attacks

**Disclaimer**: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade. Nuff said.

**Author's Note: Well, no one has reviewed yet…that's o.k. We'll keep trying. Anyway, here's chapter three. Oh yeah—we don't know what Sanquinex's blade's name is so…maybe you could tell us, then. Read and Review!**

**CHAPTER THREE**

**The Vampire Attacks**

As the group walked on to the store, Alexia fell back in the pack, feeling only slightly out of place among all the Bladebreakers. She had long since known about them, and she knew how good they were, and how easily they adapt to their opponents' power levels. She had to be careful…

"You're part of his team, aren't you?"

Alexia nearly snorted back a laugh. "We're not _his_ team. We're our land's team." She looked up at him. "But why do you ask, Kai?"

Kai only looked obstinately ahead for a moment, and then he said, "I just wanted to make sure." After another pause, he added, "I want to challenge your leader."

Alexia nearly laughed again, and Kai glared at her. She shook her head and said, "Are you sure you want to do that? That might not be a very nice move."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Look, don't take this the wrong way, Kai, since I know how you fight and I know that you have potential for almost unsurpassable power. But...I think I speak for my team's opinion when I say that…well…you might want to rethink that move. I'm not saying that we're brilliant bladers," she quickly added as soon as Kai's face went purple in anger, "because I know there are better bladers than us. But, I think you know as well as I do that you guys are still inexperienced."

Kai stared hard at her for a moment with narrowed eyes, looking somewhat suspicious, but he turned back ahead and said, "I suppose you have a point there…"

Alexia smiled at him. "Don't sweat it. You guys are good, I know it. You _did_ win the first part of the world championships, right?"

Kai looked at her and seemed to have wanted to say something more, but thought better of it and said nothing instead. And for the time being, there was silence all the way to the store.

In the back of the cabin, Ray and Jade walked over to the large pile of logs and the chopping stump. She looked at the pile and sighed. "If we need to keep the fire going for breakfast for all of us, we're going to need a _lot_ of it."

"Yeah, I know," Ray laughed. "I mean, with the way Tyson eats and all…"

Jade laughed. She looked a him and asked, "Are you sure you want to help me with this?"

"Of course," said Ray with a grin.

Jade smiled and shrugged. "Okay…" As she walked over to the logs, Ray shifted uncomfortably for a moment before asking, "Um, if it's all the same…I didn't quite catch your name earlier."

"Oh," she said, turning to him and whipping her hair over the shoulder facing him as she bent down, picking up logs, "It's Jade. Jade Star. And the girl who went with the rest is Alexia Raven."

"Oh…" Ray watched as she put the logs on a standing position onto the chopping block. He looked around for the axe, but to his surprise, found no trace of one.

"Um…Jade, we don't have an axe," he said. "What do we hack the wood with?" Although he asked this, he had somewhat an idea of what they will be using. After all…bladers had their methods…

Jade turned and grinned at him. "Beyblades, of course. It's good strength training too. I saw your blade—it should be pretty useful for this sort of thing."

"Yeah," said Ray with a nod as he took out Driger from his pocket. "I'll just use his Tiger Claw and we'll be done in no time."

"Nice blade," she said, grinning at the shining Driger Fang in his hand. 

"Where's yours, then?" asked Ray as he loaded the blade onto his shooter, and Jade pulled out her beyblade from inside her jacket. It glinted in the sun, and Ray's jaw dropped.

"That's…your beyblade?" he gasped.

And he should have been quite surprised. The beyblade seemed to be totally made out of a heavy-looking shiny metal alloy. It was a metallic green color and shining bright, with curving points all around the defense ring. Which is nothing to say for the attack ring in itself which was a five-armed spiral galaxy-like ending in sharp points like the pointed end of an arrow and yet sharp blades. And the point of its base was also sharp pointed and surrounded by smaller spikes. He could not see its bit piece too clearly yet.

"This is Auran," she said as she looked down at it. "My beyblade."

Ray stared at it for a moment, unsure of what reaction to give away. "It's…it's…really…unique, I'll say."

"Thanks…I think," said Jade, getting a sweatdrop. She looked to the logs again and said, "Hey, we better get to hacking these logs before the others come back."

"Right," nodded Ray, still eyeing the beyblade as he got ready to fire Driger. As he did, he thought, _I've never seen such a beyblade before… There's no doubt that she's a member of Mike's team—just the beyblade alone is enough to prove it… And just by the looks of it, it really _does_ look powerful…_

He looked at her and asked, "Where's your shooter?"

"Right here," she said, taking out her bow and quiver of arrows. She took out one long arrow, and Ray saw that it had a grooved edge for a shooter. And she fitted it into her bow, that had a shooter at the center where the arrow was aimed at. She looked at Ray and grinned as she loaded the beyblade and aimed the bow sideways so the beyblade's tip pointed to the ground.

"Are you ready?" she asked, smiling at him.

"Yeah!" said Ray, beaming. He aimed Driger right at the logs and yelled, "_Let it rip!!_ Go Driger!!"

Driger pounced with all the ferocity of the white tiger that he was. He shot right at the logs like a bullet and slammed into them with shaking force.

"Tiger Claw!!" Ray commanded.

Driger roared in reply and came once again in crashing impact into the logs. There was nothing more than three shining cuts of light for a brief instant, and when the light died, Driger flew back to Ray's waiting hand. Ray grinned, and a second later, the five large logs on the block crumbled into even bits of firewood.

Jade was clapping. "Well done! You're really good, Ray. You handle your blade well—like a real veteran."

"Uh… thanks…" said Ray, looking embarrassed. He saw her still holding her blade and leapt forward. "I'll get the logs this time, and you shoot."

"Right," she nodded. In truth, Ray was very interested in seeing exactly how this beyblade was going to attack. It wasn't any thing like he'd seen before, so, although he didn't exactly want to act like Kai at this point, one couldn't help but wonder exactly what this one was going to do. 

Jade pointed the blade at the logs and pulled back the bowstring with the arrow. "_Let it rip!!_" she yelled, and she let go of the arrow and the string. 

There was a loud crack like a whip as the string released and the beyblade flew out of the shooter in incredible speed. Only the people who'd actually witnessed or do archery would know how fast an arrow exactly goes when released and, being the ripcord, it only made the beyblade go faster.

The green metal blade flew like a green, sparking rocket that went right at the logs like a gunshot and crashed through the logs while at the same time slicing them all to firewood. The beyblade smashed right through the logs, across the yard and into the cabin wall, making a large carve into the cabin. It bounced off, though, and flew right at Jade's outstretched hand.

Jade caught it with a flourish and smiled as the firewood fell from the sky. She looked at Ray with a smile and said, "Well, that should do it. That'll be enough firewood for all of us."

"All right…" Ray said, completely taken aback. _That blade didn't even attack…it was only its release power…that's amazing…what kind of a beyblade is that?!_

"I see that you couldn't wait to blade today."

The two looked up and saw a face peeking out the window near the gash made by Auran on the wall. It was a boy with messy black hair and brown eyes, and a large scarf that wound around his neck covered the lower half of his face and muffled his voice slightly. He was raising an eyebrow and said, "Who's that, Jade?"

"Oh, Patrick, this is Ray," said Jade, grinning. "He's another friend of ours, Ray, this is Patrick Crowe. You know Ray, don't you, Pat? Of the Bladebreakers?"

"Oh, yeah," nodded Patrick. "The Japanese team who won on Block A."

"Nice to meet you," Ray said, smiling.

"Yeah…whatever," said Patrick, waving it away as he vanished back inside. Jade looked at Ray apologetically. "Sorry, Ray. But Patrick's nice. He's just cranky when he's just woken up."

"Don't worry about it," said Ray, smiling at her. "Tyson's crankier when he doesn't get fed."

And the two of them just laughed.

"This should do it, don't you think?" asked Max as he came out of the store with an armful of food in a brown paper bag, and Kenny, holding a plastic bag in one hand, laughed, "Yeah, even Tyson can't complain anymore…"

"I heard that," Tyson said, coming out of the door, looking irritated, but he was also carrying a bag like Max.

"Yeah, yeah, all right, Tyson…" Max glanced back next to him as he said this, where Alexia was, also with her arms full, and Kai between her and him, and Kai happened to only have his arms crossed over his chest. He wasn't carrying anything.

Max leaned to Kai as they began walking back to the cabin and said, "Hey, Kai, aren't you going to be a gentleman and at least offer to help Alexia out with that?"

Kai cranked up his glare to 'withering' and Max got a sweatflood as he backed away. "Okay, okay…geez, don't look at me like that…" Max sighed. "People are cranky today…"

Although Kai glared at Max like this, he looked at Alexia, and for a moment, he said nothing as they continued their walk. Max, Kenny and Tyson were too busy chatting and squabbling with each other as of the moment, so he took his chance. He looked again at Alexia and asked quietly and yet in his usual cold baritone, "Do you need help or what?"

"Huh?" Alexia looked at him, confused a moment, but Kai kept staring hard ahead, not repeating his previous statement. She laughed a bit and said, "Oh, don't worry, I'm fine."

Kai bristled, but said nothing. He certainly was not going to say any more, now that Tyson and Kenny were now looking at their direction, whereas Max was snickering from behind his paper bag. In all truth, Kai wanted to cuff Max for that, and would've very well had his beyblade do that for him when, as soon as they were in a more secluded area of the grounds, a flash went from nearby.

Kai immediately reacted—it was a beyblade. "All of you, get down!!" He saw it shooting out from the sky, a light-magenta beyblade armed with fangs, and heading rapidly down to their group.

"Watch out!" Kai said as he pushed off from his position and propelled himself and Alexia out of the vicious beyblade's path. The bags flew out of their hands and some of the food scattered on the ground as the Bladebreakers hit the ground to avoid the blade.

Tyson looked up with a groan along with the rest of them to see the blade spinning in front of them, looking almost smug for being able to knock them all down like it did. "Oh no…" said Tyson. "I think I recognize this blade..."

It was Sanquinex of the Dark Bladers' Dracula blade.

Kai got up and looked down at Alexia, who was near him. "You all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks, Kai, but you didn't have to do that, you know," she answered as she sat up and she grinned at him, which made him realize what he just did and he had to turn away to keep his composure.

There was a laugh from the trees up above and a caped figure leapt out, casting a shadow down to the ground from his billowing dark cape. The death-white fanged pale face was unmistakable.

"Sanquinex!" Tyson snarled as he looked up at the swooping figure who dropped down to the ground.

Sanquinex laughed in a maniacal fashion to himself. "Well fancy seeing you kids here…"

"What do you want?" Max demanded.

"Heh…what do you think?" he asked. He smirked at them and then said, "Actually, I came here for you, Bladebreakers, looking to settle the score. I didn't expect to see a member of the Arcan bladers with you." He hissed menacingly at Alexia. "Nice seeing you again, girlie—don't think it's all settled between Team Who and you infernal Arcans."

Alexia frowned back at him, and Kai stepped slightly in front of her. "Back off, bat boy, or we'll trash your blade like we did before."

"Yeah, why don't you just give it up?" asked Tyson.

"Well, like they say, try and try until you succeed..." Sanquinex snorted. He picked up the blade on the ground and said, "And seeing as how only one blade sent you guys scattering, I think I can take care of this alone."

"Are you crazy?" Kenny demanded. "All of us against you alone?"

"No, I'm not crazy," he answered calmly. "Why, are you all afraid of me?"

"Dream on," said Tyson, taking out his Dragoon and aiming it at him. Max followed suit with Draciel, and finally, Kai aimed out his Dranzer. However, he glanced at hesitant Alexia, who had yet to take out her blade--assuming, of course, she had one. She looked at Kai a moment before looked back at Sanquinex.

The vampire sneered and said, "If you guys are too afraid to make a first move, then I'll do it myself! _LET IT RIP!!_"

The vampire blade shot down at them and Tyson and the rest of the Bladebreakers leapt to action. "Go Dragoon!!" Tyson yelled.

"Go get him, Draciel!!" Max cried.

"Take him down, Dranzer," said Kai imperiously.

All three blades came tearing down at the single vampire blade, but, it appears, true to Sanquinex's bragging statements, it now had a tactic to, if not defeat all, at least down a couple, of the blades that now came at it. Kai's Dranzer was obviously the most dangerous opponent as of the moment, and as it now came charging at it, the vampire blade quickly shifted position, ducking Kai's blade.

"What the—" Kai snarled.

The vampire blade shifted around and suddenly crashed into Tyson's blade with surprising force. Dragoon shot sideward and started going unsteady, as if energy had been sucked right out of it upon contact with the vampire blade. "Oh no, Dragoon!" Tyson exclaimed.

Sanquinex laughed triumphantly. "This is my new technique, true to its name as a vampire. The Energy Vampire attack!!"

"Dragoon's weakening..." said Dizzi.

"Draciel, get that beyblade!" Max commanded, and the green beyblade stormed forward, the beyblade with the longest endurance and best defense among the other bladers'.

The vampire blade went right at Draciel and had a powerful collision. Max's blade was amazingly pushed back. It wavered a bit, but kept going with the metal-ball defense it possessed. 

"You think that's going to stop us, huh?" Sanquinex snorted. "Tackle it!"

The beyblade suddenly leapt forward, bounding off a rock and came with a startling crash at Draciel's bit. "Draciel!" Max exclaimed as the beyblade began to wobble as well.

Sanquinex's blade came to a swerve and remained in position as he laughed. "Two down—one to go," he said, smirking at Kai and Alexia as Max and Tyson's blades came to an eventual stop.

"You've got another thing coming if you think that you can beat me," Kai sneered.

Sanquinex laughed. "I wouldn't be so arrogant." He looked to Alexia. "Hey, you. Are you going to stand there all day and be the damsel in distress, or are you going to help your friends?"

Alexia glared at him, but looked at Kai, who glanced at her silently. He said nothing as he glared down at the vampire blade, but it was obvious that he wanted to see the blade himself. Alexia then slowly reached into her trenchcoat to take out her beyblade, but hesitated.

Kai snorted and said, "Dranzer, go now!"

The phoenix cried out as Dranzer stormed to Sanquinex's blade. Sanquinex merely smirked as an scene appeared--his blade was evading Kai's and whatever Kai's did it could not make contact with the vampire blade. The vampire blade then began swirling around Kai and knocking hits at it, but pulls back before the Dranzer can fight back.

"Fight like a man, you coward!" Kai snared as Sanquinex's blade continued to evade his.

"Ha!" Sanquinex laughed. "There is a reason on why no one has ever caught a vampire before, you know. Now, attack!!"

The Dracula blade stormed at Kai's blade and smashed right at it like it did before causing sparks to fly. However, like its attack, the energy seemed to be draining from Dranzer.

"What the—pull back, Dranzer!" Kai commanded.

"There's no escaping me now," Sanquinex laughed as now it seemed that the vampire blade would not release Dranzer until it had been completely drained.

"Grr…Dranzer..." Kai muttered, clenching his fists.

Alexia glanced at the blade, and then at Kai, and then reached into her trenchcoat to get her beyblade. And she would've too, if not for that which suddenly happened.

"Leave them alone, Sanquinex!"

They all stopped, and something that flashed in the sun temporarily blinded them, and as they looked up, they saw that something was coming down like a silver, black and blue comet. And they all had the vague impression that some sort of wolf was bounding down to them on its massive haunches.

"Is that a..." Tyson gasped.

"A beyblade!" Kenny gasped.

A huge silver blade that they have never seen before in silver, black and blue, with huge swirling clawed blades on the attack ring and it literally seemed to be sparking in energy. The extra large silver claw blades seemed to be like sharp double curved horns on opposite sides of the beyblade. A glinting blue bit piece was on it, and it seemed to be made out of the same heavy-looking glinting metal that made up Jade's, except that this one looked more designed for direct attacking at it looked as imposing as a wolf that comes charging.

The beyblade came crashing down at Sanquinex's taking it completely by surprise and cracking its attack ring. The vampire blade was thrown from Dranzer and flung right into the air, and landed into Sanquinex's hand. He stared at the blade in horror as he saw that it had nearly been crashed apart. "My blade!" he gasped.

The blade that had done this was still spinning triumphantly on the ground. It really looked quite imposing and massive as it did. "What a blade..." Max breathed.

"And it practically cracked apart Sanquinex's attack ring," said Kenny breathlessly. "Then just the weight of that blade alone was a powerful attack to crack it!"

"But...whose blade is..." Tyson began.

"Hey Sanquinex. That has probably got to be the most pathetic attempt at a challenge in the world."

They all looked up, and saw someone standing across them, his arms over his chest, and holding a shooter that was shaped like a dragon-ended sword handle with a ripcord strung in it already. The red cap waved slightly in the wind, and the boy who stood there smirked at Sanquinex.

"Mike," Kai snarled to himself.

Mike stepped forward and the beyblade flew into his hand. "Nice work, Archonwolf." He looked up at them as Ray and Jade came running up from behind them. And a new blader, one with a scarf covering the upper half of his face, also was with them.

"Guys, what happened?" Ray asked. He spotted Sanquinex and frowned. "Sanquinex."

"Alexia, are you okay?" asked Jade.

Alexia withdrew her hand from her trenchcoat, hurried to Mike, Jade and Patrick and said, "Yeah. Just in time."

"Humph," Kai snorted, as Dranzer almost weakly flew back to his hand. "We could've done it ourselves."

"I don't doubt that," said Mike with no hint of sarcasm whatsoever. Ray glanced at Jade and the rest of the Arcans before running to the Bladebreakers. "You've got some guts showing yourself alone, Sanquinex," he said.

The vampire member of the Dark Bladers snarled and said, "I'll be back—count on it, and you'll be going down. All of you."

"And we'll be waiting," Tyson smirked. Sanquinex snarled again before completely dematerializing into the shadows and vanishing without a trace.

"They came for us, but they've got animosity with you too," said Kenny, looking at the Arcans.

Mike nodded gravely. "That's true. They've been trying to get us, because we defeated them."

"But if you've managed to defeat them before, then you're no ordinary bladers," said Kai, looking at the four other bladers. "Team Who is undoubtedly one of the best in the world."

"It might've been luck," said Mike with a shrug.

"Just...who are you guys?" asked Tyson breathlessly.

Mike and the rest of the group only looked at each other. Patrick looked at them with rather cool regard and said, "We're bladers. Just like you."

Mike looked at his team and said, "Guys, start packing. We've got to get out of here."

"What?" asked Jade. She glanced at the Bladebreakers. "But aren't we having breakfast?"

Mike shook his head. "Team Who's around. We better lose them since they'll get on our scent and ruin our training." He looked at them as well and said, "Sorry to run out on you guys. Really. But we have to go. I'm sure that you know as much as we do how annoying they could be."

He received no response, but he bowed slightly to them. "Hope to see you sometime, guys. Maybe in Russia."

"Yeah...see you," said Tyson.

Patrick said nothing as he followed Mike and they turned away. Jade glanced at Ray and said, "See you, Ray. Nice meeting you..."

"Yeah, see you guys sometime, you too, Kai," said Alexia as she followed the others into another direction, and in a matter of seconds, the group vanished from sight.

Max looked at the others and said, "I don't know about you guys, but something is strange about that team, I think."

"Really? I thought they were a pretty nice group," said Tyson.

"Me too," said Ray, smiling.

"Well, don't forget," said Kai, his voice taking command again, "they're our opponents on the Russian championships."

"Yeah," said Kenny. "And...can you believe that blade that Mike had? It was unbelievable! Just by looking at it now, I'm hardly surprised that it managed to do what it did to that oak tree."

"Yeah," said Tyson. "That was one mean beyblade."

"Jade had a beyblade too," said Ray. "She used her blade to chop the logs and it ran through five logs only in its release force. I had to attack to do it."

"So they must all be the Arcan team," said Kenny. "We didn't get to see Alexia's blade, though. She didn't get the chance to use it."

"They're obviously a powerful team," said Dizzi. "And I think I can safely say that even without analyzing, those bladers will be one of the tournament's top teams."

Max looked doubtful. "Yeah, but..." he looked at Draciel in his hand, "Three of us...couldn't take down Sanquinex... And yet only one smash from Mike's blade did it... I think...I think we better get stronger soon, guys."

"Max is right," said Ray. "That's serious power they're packing..."

"But if they're that powerful, how come we haven't heard of them before?" asked Kenny.

Kai, who'd been silent for the past few moments, now whirled around to face Kenny. "I want every single data you can get about those Arcans. We need all that data fast, so we'll know how much we'll have to train to beat them."

"Right," said Kenny. "I'll get to research right away."

The Bladebreakers looked to the direction that the Arcans had gone. And they knew that they've found yet another powerful rival to the world championships. And this was the first time that the Bladebreakers had ever met the Arcanis Relic Bladers.

**Author's Note**: Ah, there we go. Things are getting interesting. There'll be more, hopefully, please review!


	4. Chapter Four The Challengers

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Arcan Bladers: Yahoo!!! We finally got the computer back!! Yipee! This is amazing!! (stops and sees everybody) Oh.

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Jade: (embarrassed) Oh. Sorry. But, yes, we got it back! The computer's back at him and we were finally able to update.

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Alexia: (Looking the pages over) Looks like a rough ride for all of us, eh?

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Patrick: This better be good after all this time…

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Mike: Come on, you guys. Let's get a move on…

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CHAPTER FOUR

The Challengers 

(Note from the authoress (Jade): In this modified Russian Tournament, Kai is sane, i.e. he's semi-friendly now—he's been rescued from BIOVOLT and he doesn't have Black Dranzer. All-Stars, White Tigers and Majestics haven't arrived in Russia yet—and no one's bit beast has been stolen—yet. I leave it to your imagination on how that all happened and everyone still lands in the tournament. But the Russians _will_ get that interesting ability to nab bit beasts later…)

It was about a couple of weeks after this encounter and the Bladebreakers had finally reached Russia for the Russian Tournament. They were now in their hotel room, and they had only just recently reclaimed Kai from the clutches of BIOVOLT—making Kai a rather changed beyblader since then. The Russian sun rose slowly over the grayed sky, warming the people below with its brilliant rays. 

"Ah-ah-aaahh-_choo_!!"

Tyson's sneeze tore through the large hotel room like a gunshot, and the Bladebreakers all winced. Tyson flopped back on the bed he was on and groaned with a sniffle as he shivered under the covers. 

"Gezundheit," Max said, with a sweatdrop from his position at the table, wrapped in thick clothes with the official mark of the BBA and drinking a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

"Thanks," said Tyson stuffily, and he sneezed again into a tissue in his hand. "Man, I hate this!" He drew the blankets closer around him. "It's so darn cold here!"

"It was colder last night when we got here," said Kenny tearing his gaze from Dizzi's screen and looking at Tyson. He too was sitting at the table, wrapped in a thick coat and drinking hot chocolate. "But what did you expect, Tyson? The climate in Russia's colder than in Japan."

"I didn't realize that was possible," Tyson sniffed.

"Don't be ridiculous, Tyson," Dizzi said rather irritably. "Of course there are colder climates. Ah-choo!"

"What's wrong, Dizzi?" asked Kenny, looking at his laptop, and Dizzi answered, "I have to agree with Tyson a little there. My circuits are all freezing up!"

"Well, why don't you process something?" suggested Kenny. "You'll keep warmer if you're busy."

"Like what?" asked Dizzi as Max got up and set a mug of hot chocolate on the table next to Tyson's bed. He looked at Tyson and said, "Drink that—it'll do you good. My dad always makes hot chocolate when it's cold."

"Yeah, well, my fingers are too numb to move," Tyson said, his voice muffled in the covers. Max sighed in surrender and as he walked back to the table, Kai walked into the room and also wearing a BBA coat and looking a little better than the rest of them, considering that no climate in the world could get him down. 

"Run the research you found about the Arcans again, Chief," he said, sounding fairly cold, as usual.

Dizzi snorted and said, "I don't know which is colder—the temperature around or Kai."

"Just do it," Kai snapped, looking tense and Kenny jumped, saying, "All right, all right! Don't bite my head off, Kai…"

"Why do you want to see it again, anyway, Kai?" asked Tyson, coming over while dragging the blanket around him still. "We've already seen it…"

"It never hurts to double check on the competition," said Kenny when Kai refused to respond, as usual. "We have to make sure that we know exactly who we're going up against and exactly what they can do."

Kenny began typing in his laptop, and Dizzi said, "Here, then. I got it."

"All right," said Kenny. "It was really hard to find information on these bladers, because the Arcans were virtually unknown. Arcanis is a small country in the Pacific with a populace of only seven hundred thousand, an island that is uncharted and unmapped—neither was it in any organization of countries. It also had little to almost no contact to other countries. That's why everyone was quite surprised when a national team came out.

"It turns out that one of the few contacts to Arcanis had delivered to them the sport of beyblading, and since then, it has become revered as a national sport. And not only that—although Arcanis is small, it had a lot of bit beasts (that they call relics) roaming around, and very powerful ones. Many bladers here are skilled with or without bit beasts, as they take beyblading seriously and are quite dedicated to it. So it's no surprise that the Arcans are exemplary bladers.

"They astounded the world when they joined the World Championships and became the champions for Block F. It was like they were just flying through the competition. And it was safe to say that their beyblades were nothing like anyone had ever seen before. They were all far heavier than average and made out of an unidentifiable metal alloy, and their design is all built for attacking, endurance and defense at the same time. Not even their heaviness and built affects the streamlining so they're also agile and swift. Nothing much is known about their bit beasts, because they hardly ever used them. But they do have them.

"Their leader is Mikhail Xerxes, and he's the best in their country. He has the beyblade Archonwolf. His teammates are the other finalists in their country's tournament, like you guys were, making their team the best bladers in their country. Jade Star has the beyblade Auran, Alexia Raven has the beyblade Aldebaran, and finally, Patrick Crowe has the beyblade Armada. Their bit beasts are also the names of their beyblades. If charted, Mike obviously has the higher power level, but it can't be confirmed because there are a lot of unknown variables. And finally, their team is called the Relic Bladers."

Kenny leaned back. "Well, that's about it. That's all the information I have about the Arcans. They're a very secretive and mysterious team, if you ask me."

"If they are so mysterious, then that basically means that we barely have a clue on who we're up against unless we see them battle first hand," said Kai.

"Well the only way to do that is to watch them fight during the tournament itself," said Max. "We _did_ increase our power, but I'm not sure if it might be good enough."

Kai frowned and he turned away to the direction of the glass windows that led out to the balcony. "We need more power…" he muttered. He looked to them again and said, "We'll see them sooner than we think. If they're here already, then they'll be at the mass practice session tomorrow."

"Mass practice?" they all asked, and Kenny snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah! Mr. Dickinson told me something about that. tomorrow, all the bladers from all teams are going to come down to the arena and all of them are going to practice at the same time. Everyone must be on equal footing. So by holding the mass practice, the bladers are all going to be on even ground to an extent since they all practiced and have seen others practice."

"Are there going to be practice battles?" asked Tyson excitedly.

"Well of course," said Kenny. "You're not required to have one, but you can if you want to."

"All right!" Tyson cheered. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Man, I can't wait to see the other bladers go out into the field and practice!"

Kai said nothing, but he looked around for a moment before asking, "And where, might I ask, has Ray gone?"

"Hey yeah, where _is_ Ray?" asked Tyson. "I didn't see him all morning…"

"Ray left early this morning," said Max. "He said that he was going to the balcony to get himself ready or something like that."

"He's going to the balcony in this weather?" Tyson demanded, sneezing again into his tissue. "Is he crazy or something?"

"Come on, Tyson, Ray's like that," said Max with a grin. "He's just focusing. Besides, I heard that some of our more known opponents in the past are coming over as they were invited to play, and that means that the White Tigers and the All-Stars are coming to see this too. So it's no surprise that he wants to be at his best."

"I guess so…" said Tyson.

Kai turned to the doorway and said, "I'm going to go and tell him about the practice. The rest of you make sure that you're at least ready later on during the practice."

"Ow, that's harsh, Kai," said Tyson, pretending to be stung, but Kai only snorted and walked out the door without another word. Tyson looked back at them and said, "Well, I for one _do_ want to be ready for the practice. What do you say you fine tune our beyblades, Chief?"

"Right," said Kenny, grinning. "I'll make sure your blades are in top shape."

Tyson grinned, "Today, we'll show them that you shouldn't underestimate the Bladebreakers."

Ray was staring out into the rather foggy view of morning over Moscow from where he stood behind the stone rails of the balcony. It was indeed cold as the wind blew out on him, and he wrapped his thick coat around him closer.

__

Moscow is_ cold…_ he thought. He looked down at his gloved palm and at his beyblade. "We've been practicing all morning, Driger," he said with a grin. "We'll be prepared for anything."

"Well, almost anything."

Ray jumped and turned around. Kai walked up to him, wrapped in a coat, and looking rather neutral. He walked up next to Ray and said, "We've checked the Arcans again, and I still don't think that we can be prepared for anything."

"So…are they the only threat to us as of now?" asked Ray.

"I doubt that," said Kai stolidly. He looked down at Dranzer in his hand and said, "I'm not going to lose. Johnny was lucky. It's not happening again. I know I won over him before, but this time no other blader is going to get cocky enough to do that."

He looked at Ray and said, "I heard that the White Tigers are coming for audience."

"They are," said Ray, smiling to himself. "They haven't heard much from us, and I want them to see how much I've improved."

"Now I have a question for you," said Kai, leaning over the rail. "We haven't seen the Arcans in only almost two weeks. How much do you think _they've _improved?"

Ray sighed. "You haven't changed much at all, Kai…still serious. But you have a point. The Relic Bladers are excellent. And at the rate they're going…" He shook his head. "We have to get better—and fast." He looked at Kai. "Hey, didn't Mr. Dickinson say something about a practice or something tomorrow?"

"So you've heard," said Kai, looking down at the grounds below. He spotted something that made him frown slightly, and he straightened up and turned around, heading back into the hotel. "All of you do what you want—but remember," and now he turned to look at Ray with the same glint in his eyes, "Mike is mine to battle. I'll take him and his beyblade on."

"Right," said Ray, nodding. "I'll make sure the others remember that."

"You better," Kai muttered. "Tyson might get it up his head again."

Ray laughed shortly and nodded, and Kai turned to leave. But as he entered the warmth of the hall and walked back to the direction of the elevators, he thought, _I told you that I wanted to take him on, Alexia…and now I'm ready for him…and I'll prove it._

Ray watched as Kai vanished, and he turned back out to the view of the slightly foggy grounds below, wondering what he ought to do next, when he did a double take when he thought he saw a familiar figure standing on the grounds, in the fog. It was the same black-haired figure he's seen shooting archery in the cabin grounds. Jade was down there, sitting on a bench with her bow and quiver on her back.

And now he realized what made Kai frown. Because if she was here, then that would mean that the rest of the Relic Bladers would as well. He supposed that Kai must've gone out to get himself ready—he seemed very intent on challenging Mike to a match. 

He looked down at her motionless figure, and decided that maybe he could go down there and see what she was up to by herself down there, or maybe just give her some company for the time being. And he turned around, pocketing Driger, and he headed downstairs.

Tyson and Max were bounding down to the breakfast hall with Kenny in tow, but as they did, they happened to pass by a practice hall on the first floor of the building. It seemed mercifully empty at first glance, and Tyson skidded to a stop.

"Hey look! Maybe we could sneak in a practice!" said Kenny.

"Really? Can't we eat first?" asked Tyson.

Max looked at him and said, "Come on, Tyson, we'll need all the practice we can get! We can't slack off or anything since we know how good our opponents are…or at least, we will…"

"Oh…all right," Tyson groaned. But he took out Dragoon from his pocket and said, "Besides, I wanted to test Dragoon out too."

The three of them walked up to the glass doors of the training room in the hotel, and then abruptly stopped as they saw a vague figure moving behind the glass. The three Bladebreakers, confused, walked closer up to the door, and a closer look revealed that the colored blob moving inside was a person.

"Hey," said Tyson as he pressed his nose against the glass and his breath fogging it up, "Isn't that the other guy in the cabins two weeks ago?"

"Yeah," said Max, also pressing his nose into the glass. "He's that guy with Mike and Jade when they ran up to us when Sanquinex attacked."

"Then he must be Patrick Crowe," said Kenny. "He's the only member that we haven't properly met yet."

"Well, what's he doing in there by himself?" asked Max.

Kenny shrugged. "He's probably training, then. The tournament _does_ happen soon. Maybe we should go…"

But it was quite too late, because Tyson, anxious to meet the blader, bounded forward, saying, "Well, if he's Arcan, then that means he's a great blader! And I want to see this for myself."

"Tyson!" Kenny exclaimed, but he was paid no heed as Max followed after him. They came into the training room, which was empty except, of course, for Patrick's presence, and he was standing on one side of the large stone stadium embedded into the ground. 

"Hey! Hey buddy!" Tyson hollered as he raced over to the boy with the messy dark hair, sharp deep brown eyes, thick dark clothing and a scarf trailing to the ground and covering half his face.

But when Patrick saw them running at him, there was a sudden flash and the cutting of an object through air, and Tyson, Kenny and Max found a large wicked looking crescent scythe right at them, the blade at their necks. Patrick looked at them with a hard stare, as cold as ice, and holding the rigid handles of the scythe.

"Whoa, take it easy," said Tyson, paling. "We're not going to kill you."

Patrick eased up instantly. "Oh. Sorry. I'm just high strung…it never hurts to be careful." He smoothly lowered the scythe and stood straight. "Have we met?"

"Not properly," answered Kenny. "We're the Bladebreakers, remember? We met in the cabin grounds. I'm Kenny—but you can cal me Chief—and that's Tyson and Max."

"Oh yeah," said Patrick. "The Bladebreakers. Well…are you here to train?"

"Not just that," said Tyson with a grin as he raised up Dragoon, which glinted in the light. "I want to challenge you to a battle."

There was a slight pause, and suddenly, Patrick burst into peals of laughter. "Excuse me?" he asked. "You want to challenge _me_ to a battle? Oh, you've got to be kidding!"

"No I'm not," said Tyson, frowning.

"Well why?" asked Patrick, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're a Relic Blader," said Tyson. "And I've heard that you guys are pretty good. And the better my opponent is, the more excited I get on fighting him in a beyblade battle. Now are you going to fight or not?"

Patrick stared at him incredulously, but sighed and said, "Oh, all right, then. Whatever you want."

"All right!" said Max. "Come on Chief, let's get to the center—I want to see this!"

Patrick almost lazily strolled to the side of the stadium, acting quite aloof and careless as he did. In his hand he still held the menacing scythe, which Kenny couldn't take his eyes off.

"What is he doing with that thing?" asked Kenny. "Admittedly, it's a powerful weapon, but…"

"Hey Chief," said Dizzi. "Take a closer look on that scythe blade."

As Kenny and Max did so, Patrick grinned at them and said, "Cool laptop. It talks."

"Oh…there's just a…bit beast inside…" said Kenny almost sheepishly, but Patrick didn't even seem to bothered with this. He acted like it was nothing at all. But, as if to help them out, he held out his scythe. "Here…take a look, then…"

Kenny gasped. "It's—it's a ripcord!"

And indeed, it was. At least the underside of the blade was. At the part connected to the handle, there was the beyblade, already loaded and glinting in the lights. It had to be one of the largest beyblades they'd seen, and it was, like the others', completely made of solid shiny metal alloy parts. The main color was a shiny metallic blue, but it was adorned in orange and black on the attack ring. The attack ring itself was wicked-looking, like six curved pocketknives had been welded into it, sharp as the scythe's large blades. The defense ring was a solid mass of thick metal with pointed spikes. It could possibly be the most imposing-looking of the Arcan bladers' blades.

"This is Armada," he said with a careless and yet proud tone upon mentioning his beyblade. "So…shall we begin, then, Tyron?"

"It's _Tyson_," said Tyson irritably.

"Yeah…whatever…well, whatever your name is, buddy, you're still a little brazen if you think you can beat me so easily," said Patrick, as if he was stifling a yawn from behind his scarf.

"Oh yeah?" Tyson smirked. "Let's just see about that."

"Tyson, let me put this gently," said Dizzi. "You're going to get positively steamrollered if you keep putting yourself up on your pedestal like that. If I'm calculating correctly—and I'm sure I am—then that would pretty much confirm that Armada is several times stronger than Dragoon."

"Dizzi!" Kenny exclaimed. "That's not helping! Although…you may be right…"

Tyson sweatdropped. "Oh not you too, Chief."

"Come on, Tyson!" Max cheered. "You can beat him!"

Patrick stifled a laugh again. "All right, all right, whatever, Tylon—Tyson, whatever. Let's go."

"All right," said Max. "Bladers, take your positions!"

Tyson immediately stepped up to his shooting area, and Patrick went over to his. Both aimed their shooters and beyblades at the stadium.

"Three! Two! One!" Max counted down.

"_Let it rip!!_" both Tyson and Patrick chorused. Tyson pulled on the ripcord to fire the blade and Patrick powerfully swung around the scythe to release his own blade. And two beyblades shot out, tearing across the stadium.

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Jade: Chapter four. Whaddaya think?

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Patrick: (snorting) A battle. Heh.

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Mike: Read and review, you guys!!


	5. Chapter Five The Thrashing Ensues

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Jade: Because of our prolonged absence, we've got _major_ uploading to do. Here's chapter five!!

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Mike: Things are getting interesting…

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Alexia: As always, read and review!!

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CHAPTER FIVE

The Thrashing Ensues

From a hotel room not too far from the Bladebreakers' own, Mike sat on a white sofa, staring at his beyblade, with his shooter and ripcord in one hand.

__

Hmm…the Russian Tournament… Making it this far was as much as a dream as any other blader has… We're going to make it, Archonwolf… We're going to make it…

"In deep thoughts, I see…"

Mike didn't even have to look up and he said, "You know full well that I don't like people sneaking up on me like that, Zeus."

"That only came about because The Dark Bladers had been doing that and threatening to take your relics," said Zeus. "And, as I have heard, they've changed. They aren't after any more relics. Thanks to the Bladebreakers."

Mike straightened up from his seat and tossed his beyblade into the air and said after neatly catching it, "I always knew that something great would come out of that group. They've rid the world of one of their beyblade troubles at least…but now I suppose I must admit that after their famed defeat of the European team that they've become quite worthy opponents."

The manager and researcher of the Arcanis team sat down on a sofa across him. "And so I suppose that you will be keeping close watch on them during the practice session later on?"

"I don't have to," Mike answered. "I'm sure that they'll raise an uproar by themselves…"

"You really think they're that good, huh?" asked Zeus.

"I guess," said Mike, as he stood. "But I think that one of them will be especially determined to win over us. I heard, from Alexia, that Kai of the Bladebreakers seemed intent on challenging me to a match and she had just barely convinced him out of it when he was still rather inexperienced."

Zeus stood and went to the glass windows, looking out into the view of Moscow as Ray did before and said, "But now I'll have to admit that they've certainly raised in their levels of beyblade battle as well as in control of their relics. I wouldn't be surprised if they made the finals with you."

"I know," said Mike, also standing up. "In that case, I better go round up my team and get them ready…" As he pocketed his beyblade and headed to the doorway of their hotel room, he said to Zeus, "Hey, can you have that research I asked for ready by the time we get back?"

"No problem," answered Zeus, grinning at him. "I've also brought along the parts we'll need extra so we can upgrade your blades."

"You're a god, Zeus…" said Mike in way of thanks as he vanished out the door with a slight wave of his hand.

Mike walked down the hall casually, heading for the elevators. He knew that he should gird up his loins as well, because the Bladebreakers were dangerous. You never know what they'll do next and their adaptability and upgrading rate was quite inconceivable.

As he walked down the hall and now stood at the elevators, he saw a figure headed towards him. It was the muscular figure of the captain of the Bladebreakers, looking as imposing as ever. Mike smirked slightly as Kai glared at him from where he stood across him. It was obvious that the tension was thick.

There was the ring of the elevator, and Mike walked into one. Kai stood at the doors, still glowering at him, and Mike stood there, arms crossed over his chest and he asked, "Anything you want to say?"

Kai's eyes narrowed at him. "I'll beat you."

Mike smirked at this and nodded. "We'll see."

And the elevator doors slid closed, shutting the two apart.

__

CRASH!

With force that must have shook the entire floor, the two beyblades had powerful impact upon each other before they even reached the ground.

"Aah!" both Max and Kenny yelled as they raised their arms protectively from the shockwave that was created. 

The force was so strong that both beyblades were knocked apart by recoil. But Patrick's blade dropped down only little way off from the center of the stadium, while Tyson's had been flung clear into the stadium wall, where it crashed loudly and was sent to the bottom, still spinning.

"Oh no!" said Kenny. "Look at Tyson's blade!"

"It's weakened already!" gasped Max. He looked out to the blue-tinted beyblade. "I've never seen such a beyblade!"

Patrick was still looking a bit bored, but he said, "Well, come on now! Go, Armada! Charge!!"

A powerful underwater roar tore across the room as the blue-tinted beyblade came tearing across the stadium and right for Dragoon. Tyson quickly recovered from his temporary shock and leapt back to action.

"Go Dragoon! Phantom Hurricane!!" he yelled.

Dragoon quickly lit up from the bit piece and he came out, looking gigantic and menacing at he roared right at Armada. A powerful whirlwind instantly kicked up from the beyblade and began to take control of the winds in the stadium. A whirling tower of dark storm came right at Armada as the Dragoon roared from within it.

However, Patrick didn't even seem too worried about this, and instead watched with a hint of interest in his brown eyes. Tyson was confused for a moment. _Huh? _He wondered. _Why doesn't he seem to care about the Phantom Hurricane?_

"That's too easy," said Patrick.

And in a moment, they saw why. The hurricane came swooping at Armada and began to attempt to blow it away like it had been known to do to other beyblades. But amazingly, the beyblade held its ground, remaining solid on the ground.

"Why doesn't the Phantom Hurricane blow it away?!" Tyson gasped.

"Tyson!" Kenny yelled over the wind. "Armada is far too heavy! You need to increase power if you want to blow him away!"

"I can't!!" Tyson yelled back. "Dragoon is weakened by the first impact! He can't pour any more power!"

Patrick burst into laughter at this. "All right, then…let's put a stop to this…" He looked up, his eyes gleaming. "Armada!! Thrash it!"

There was a sound like a powerful underwater roar and Armada broke away like a blue cannonball through the winds of the Phantom Hurricane. Armada, glowing in an eerie blue light, then rushed right at Dragoon.

"Tyson, look out!!" Max yelled.

Armada, looking unstoppable, came heading right for Dragoon. Tyson gasped, but it was too shocking. Armada came right at the beyblade and crashed at Dragoon again. Sparks flew across the stadium like meteorites as Armada continued to rip through Dragoon mercilessly.

Patrick spoke over the sound of striking metal, "Armada is unstoppable. He has the shark's natural instinct to kill prey, and, like a powerful army, once I give the signal, he won't retreat until the enemy is defeated."

Tyson started to pale as he heard a snapping sound, and Dragoon's attack ring had cracked. He clenched his fist. He didn't want to retreat. He could still do it…couldn't he?

"Give it up," said Patrick.

"No!!" said Tyson. "I can still do this!"

There was a snapping sound again, and one of the sharp points on Dragoon's attack ring flew off and struck the stadium. Armada still kept going, but Tyson, closing his eyes from the scene, still refused to call a retreat. _Maybe if I think of something…_ he thought.

There was another snapping sound. Max cried, "Stop it, Tyson, pull back!!"

"I…I…" Tyson stammered. He defeated Robert, didn't he? Why…why couldn't he defeat Patrick? But Dragoon…

There were even more sparks now, and as soon as another snapping sound rang out, Tyson looked up with a gasp and was about to call back, when he hesitated for a spilt second, and suddenly Patrick spoke a command.

"Armada…pull back."

And the blue beyblade retreated from the Dragoon. Patrick crossed his arms over his chest as his beyblade continued to spin by itself in the middle of the stadium. "This match is over," he said.

Tyson was speechless for a moment, and then he said, "N-no it isn't!"

"Look!" Patrick snapped, sounding firm and withering. "You will lose more than you want if you continue this match! Look at your beyblade and tell me that you can continue!!"

Tyson, catching his breath, looked down at Dragoon, and he gasped. The beyblade was indeed in a sorry state. It was cracked in seven different places and one of its points was gone. It was badly scratched due to the abuse it took from Armada's blades.

Tyson felt tears well up in his eyes but he blinked them back. "I…I can't."

And instantly, Dragoon stopped spinning and came to rest on the stadium. Patrick sighed. "Pack up your pride, Tyson. You should've done it earlier. You should at least have had more care for your beyblade. You know full well he couldn't continue but you kept pushing. Because of that, he lost."

Without a word, Tyson walked down into the stadium and picked up his beyblade. He looked at it sitting in his palm, and he bit his lip. He looked up to see Armada still spinning, and Patrick's gloved hand picked it up. He looked at Tyson again.

"You're defeated," he said. "And you should've known that. I warned you not to battle. I knew that you weren't ready. But you really did want to fight. I gave you a shot. You lost. I knew that at once and I told Armada to pull back before he totally destroyed your Dragoon. But then again, even if you didn't give up, you'd still have lost to me and lost your beyblade as well." 

He stared hard at Tyson and said as he turned away, "Don't go biting off more than you can chew, unless you have a sure plan of winning."

And with that, he picked up his scythe, and he walked away. He vanished through the doors, and Max and Kenny instantly ran to Tyson.

"Tyson!" exclaimed Max. "Are you…okay?"

Tyson said nothing and remained silent. He clasped Dragoon tightly in his hand and he looked up with a strong light of determination in his eyes. He looked to the doors where Patrick had just vanished.

"Don't worry, Tyson," said Kenny. "I'll fix your blade. Dragoon's not that damaged…much…"

"No, you don't understand!" Tyson exclaimed, looking at them. "That beyblade of Patrick's is just too powerful! I don't just need a fix, I need an upgrade and a strategy! I'm more determined now to beat him!"

Tyson stood up, his eyes blazing, and he said fervently, "Just you wait, Patrick—I'll beat you for sure, next time!"

Kenny sighed, "Oh here we go again…" to which Max just laughed. "Look's like Tyson's okay after all!" he laughed.

"All right, then," Kenny said as he, Tyson and Max walked out of the room. "Come on, Tyson. Let's do some upgrading."

"Right, Chief," said Tyson. "Let's go."

And the Bladebreakers ran off to the direction of their hotel room. As they went, Patrick, who was just leaning out of sight around a bend in the hall snorted to himself. "That oughto to learn them…" he muttered.

"Oh, I see you've been up and done an unscheduled battle."

Patrick looked up and rolled his eyes at his captain. "Look, Fearless Leader, it's no big deal. Let's just say that I've set his fire ablaze."

Mike walked up to him, still looking as calm and cool as ever. "That might not have been a move to your advantage. If our research is correct, then he, being the most adaptive, will very quickly take to your skills and find a way to rise up to the challenge."

"Oh, let him," said Patrick, waving it away as he straightened up and walked up to Mike. "That'll at least make is clear that we actually have an opponent worth fighting in this tournament."

"It wouldn't do you good to be so arrogant, you know…" said Mike casually, and Patrick immediately replied, "I'm not…I just want to bring out the potential that I came to battle here for."

Mike shrugged. "Whatever suits you, then. Now come on…we have to round up the others and get to Zeus. We have to gird up for the training session."

"What for?" asked Patrick, stifling a yawn.

"Just come on…" said Mike, rolling his eyes, and Patrick answered carelessly, "Oh all right…let's go…"

And the two Arcan bladers vanished down the hall.

Jade was sitting calmly and quietly by herself in the slightly foggy Russian grounds. She was sitting very still, listening to every sound made. It was still rather early in the morning, and she decided to do this to enhance her concentration. She listened to every slightest sound…

__

Snap!

A branch snapped nearby because of a foot that trampled down upon it, and Jade reacted instantly with her bow and arrow.

__

Thwack!

The arrow shivered for a brief moment, its shaft of feather vibrating in the wind slightly, where it was embedded into a tree and not a mere two inches from Ray's shocked face.

Jade gasped as she stood up. "Ray! Oh, I'm so sorry—what are you doing here?" She ran over and pulled the arrow out of the tree as Ray gave a relieved grin and said, "Oh, uh…don't worry about it. A little high strung today?"

"Sorry," Jade said. "I was training my concentration."

"Am I disturbing you?" he asked, looking at the bow and arrow.

"Oh, no, not at all," said Jade as she sat back down onto the stone bench. "I needed a break anyway. But you didn't answer my first question. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I saw you by yourself down here," said Ray, looking embarrassed. "I was wondering on why you were by yourself…so I thought I'd give you some company. I didn't realize that you were training."

"That's okay," said Jade, putting down her weapons next to her. She smiled at Ray and said, "Long time no see, Ray. How long has it been?"

"Oh, almost two weeks," Ray answered, smiling back. "I knew that I'd run into you in this tournament."

"But of course," Jade shrugged. "That is unavoidable. We're all supposed to be in here, after all."

There was quite a long pause, in which both didn't know what exactly to say for a moment, and then they both asked at the same time, "So how are your teammates?"

Jade laughed and said, "They're all right, as usual. Mike is probably upstairs, Patrick could be anywhere, but Alexia had gone to get some stuff in a beyblading store."

"I think Tyson might be in bed," said Ray thoughtfully. "The climate here doesn't seem to agree with him. Kai could be training, and Max and Kenny could be researching or making sure that Tyson doesn't eat the fridge out again."

"Does he _really_ eat that much?" Jade laughed.

"Yeah," Ray said, laughing as well. "You should've seen him eat when we were at Robert's castle! He and the rest of us ate for five straight hours!"

The two of them collapsed into laughter again. Jade choked, "Five—hours?! I didn't know anyone could eat that much!" Then she stopped. "Wait a minute. Robert? Robert Jurgan? The European champion?"

"That's right," said Ray, grinning.

"I can't believe that you managed to do that to him!" Jade said, laughing again, and Ray joined her. 

After a moment, the laughter finally went down. Ray looked at her with a smile and asked, "So you guys are going to be at practice, right?"

Jade nodded. "We have to be, like everybody else. Don't want to upset the Russians now, do we?"

"Yeah, they haven't been too warm towards the foreigners…" Ray agreed. "But, don't take this the wrong way, or anything…but I'm really looking forward to seeing you guys in action."

"Well, join the rest of the world," said Jade with a slight sigh as she looked up at the sky. "Not many people realize how much pressure we're on. You know, being the new team and suddenly springing to success…they'll all keep their eyes on us and we can't afford to mess things up. That's why we have to really strive hard."

"Not like you need to, actually," Ray commented. "You guys are some of the best bladers that I've ever seen. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Jade gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Ray."

Ray nodded back to her with a smile.

And it was chosen at this very moment that someone will find them. A shriek pierced the mist and startled the two on the bench.

"Aaaaahh! Ray!! Who is _that_ and what are you _doing_ with her?!"

The two looked up to see a tanned figure wrapped in a thick brown coat storming towards them with an infuriated look on her face. Ray's eyes widened as he bolted up from his seat. "Mariah! What're you doing here?"

"What am _I _doing here?" Mariah exclaimed. "You knew that the White Tigers are coming here, right? But that has nothing to do with this right now! Who is that?!" She pointed at Jade, who looked very surprised.

"Okay, Mariah, take it easy—don't jump into any conclusions…" said Ray, stepping between her and Jade. "This is Jade, she's a friend of mine and—"

Mariah ignored him and pushed by and looked down at Jade, who was still seated, and the Chinese blader narrowed her eyes. She straightened up and sniffed. "Humph. She's not even pretty at all!"

Jade stood straight up and challenged the Chinese girl's glare. "Well you're no fruitcake yourself!"

"What did you say?!" Mariah exclaimed and went into fighting stance.

"All right, break it up, girls!" Ray exclaimed stepping between them again, and this time looking stern. "This isn't the time for you to be fighting!"

"She just insulted me!" Mariah said, looking at him.

"But Mariah, you _did_ start it," said Ray gently.

Mariah looked stunned. "So now you're on _her_ side?!"

"I'm not on _anybody's_ side," Ray said calmly. "I'm just saying that the two of you calm down—this is just a misunderstanding, okay?"

Jade hung her head. "All right…"

"Humph," said Mariah stubbornly, looking away, and Ray sighed.

"What's going on here?!"

The three of them looked up to see the rest of the White Tigers walking up to them, also wrapped in the same thick brown coats as Mariah was wearing. Lee walked up to their only female member and said, "Mariah, I could've heard your voice from all the way to the other side of the grounds. What's up?" he looked up and saw Ray. "Oh. Nice to see you again, Ray."

"Lee," said Ray, grinning at him. "Welcome to Russia. Nice to see you again."

Lee smiled at him, and looked back at Mariah. "Well?"

Mariah looked at him, and remained obstinate. Ray and Lee sighed. Ray said, "Let's do this over." He looked at the White Tigers and said, "Guys, this is Jade Star. She's also a participant in the Russian Tournament. Jade, these are my friends, the White Tigers."

"The Chinese national team?" Jade blinked. She smiled and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you all."

Lee shook hands with her and said, "Your name sounds familiar. Where are you from?"

"Arcanis," said Jade and Ray at the same time.

"Oh, that new group that we've been hearing about when talk turns to the Russian Tournament," said Kevin. He squinted his eyes at her. "But what are you doing with Ray?"

"I want to know that too," said Mariah.

"Look, you guys, like I said, Jade and I are just friends, okay?" said Ray, getting a sweatdrop. "We were just talking about the practice tomorrow."

"I've heard that too," said Lee. "We'll be going there to watch it as well as join in. Show them the power of the White Tiger, Ray."

"Don't worry, Lee," said Ray, grinning. "I will."

Jade looked at them and said, "But won't you be participating as well? I've heard that the best teams all over the world that weren't able to make it were being invited as guests to prove at challengers to the contestants."

Lee opened his mouth to speak, but Mariah cut in. "Of course we are! We'll be there! And you better be ready, because the White Tigers have become way better than before."

"Mariah, that's enough," said Lee sternly. He looked at Jade and said, "I'm sorry. But you must understand the position we're in—we must keep our pride at some point…"

Jade hesitated for a moment and said, "All right then. I sense that I'm not quite wanted. But I _will_ be at the practice tomorrow." She bowed gently. "I'll be seeing you, White Tigers."

And she picked up her bow and quiver of arrows, slung them over her shoulder, and turned to leave. "Jade, wait," said Ray.

Jade stopped and glanced at him, but she only bowed gently again and vanished into the mists. Ray let out his breath in a sigh, and turned back to the White Tigers. He spoke, "You didn't have to be so mean, Mariah."

Mariah said nothing for a moment, but kept staring at her hands. "…Right."

Ray looked at them with a slight smile and said, "Well then…why don't we, uh…go walk around or something?"

Gary looked at him and said, "Is there something wrong, Ray? You look a little down."

"No, don't worry about it, Gary," said Ray. "Let's go."

Lee looked at him for a moment, and the White Tigers walked off.

Jade walked down the path with her hands into her jacket pockets. A cloud issued from her lips as she breathed a sigh and glanced back to where Ray and the White Tigers had gone. 

She turned back, and instantly crashed into someone.

"Ouch! Jade, watch it!"

Jade looked up and saw that it was Alexia, carrying some packages in bags. She tilted her head at the black-haired girl and asked, "Are you okay? You look a little pale."

"Yup," said Jade, plastering the largest fake smile she could on her face and glanced around. They were near the hotel doors. "So are you taking that to Zeus?"

"Yeah," said Alexia. "Mike mentioned something about getting the blades re-upgraded."

"Zeus must be trying to outdo himself, then," said Jade with a smile.

The two girls walked into the lobby, and Alexia let out her breath. "Whew! It's feels good to be back in the warm building."

"Yeah, the cold in Russia doesn't agree with me either," said Jade. "We're used to a warmer climate…"

Voices started to sound in the hall, and they both looked up. Two figures walked into the hall and they heard their voices.

"Where are they?"

"Well, you know that the girls do what they want—but I did hear this morning that Alexia had gone to get parts for our blades…"

"Ex_cuse_ me? Parts? Our parts are completely customized and unique and can't be bought at any store!"

"I guess it's up to Zeus to work his magic on the blade parts…"

The figures were now fully visible and they turned out to be Mike and Patrick. The boys saw them and Mike let out his breath. "Finally. We've been looking for you two."

"I was…outside," said Jade. "Intensifying my concentration…which totally botched somehow…" she added silently to herself.

"What was that?" Patrick asked.

"Nothing!" said Jade, blushing slightly. "What were you saying, Mike?"

"Yeah, what were you looking for us for?" asked Alexia.

Mike immediately took command again and he stepped forward. "All right. I want all of you prepped and ready—we've got some stuff to discuss before we start an early practice."

"What?" asked Alexia.

"Nothing important—just some stuff on the mass practice," said Mike. "Alexia, you better send that stuff up to Zeus. I doubt he'll need very much help, so just follow after us. By the way, are those the most metallic parts that you found?"

"Yup," nodded Alexia. "If we want bigger and better ones…"

"No, I'm sure Zeus can work that," said Patrick. "You know him—he'll be able to turn anything into an upgrade…"

"I'm sure," Alexia laughed. "Well, I'm going upstairs. What about you guys?"

"We've just been there," said Mike. "But meet us in the hotel café, all right? I want to have a team meeting in regards to the mass practice later on."

"Right," said Alexia, balancing the bags properly and nodding. "See you guys later."

The rest of the Arcanis team nodded, and they walked off, and as they did, Alexia could hear Mike and Patrick asking about why Jade looked a little different, and Jade was insisting that nothing was the matter.

Alexia headed for the direction of the elevators and slowly, she hopped into one and ascended to their room's floor. She was wondering how the Bladebreakers were, as they were the first team that they'd actually been acquainted to who were going to participate in the Russian Tournaments. Goodness knows that she hasn't seen them for weeks and she hoped that they were doing all right. 

The elevator bell went off and she held up her packages and walked out. She instantly collided into someone.

"_Oof!_"

"Watch it!"

The packages fell to the floor. Alexia groaned from the ground where she and the person she crashed into were. "This is the second time today!" she looked up and saw who she bumped into. "Oh, Kai!"

Kai blinked as he rubbed the back of his head and stared at her. "Alexia?"

"Sorry," Alexia laughed. "I didn't see you. Sorry if I knocked you down."

Kai didn't reply. He merely picked himself up and brushed himself off and then held out a hand to help her up. Alexia grinned and took it, and she began to pick up her packages.

"Where are you going with all this stuff?" asked Kai as he picked up some of the packages. His sharp eye didn't fail to notice that they were all beyblade parts.

"Oh…just for upgrades and stuff," Alexia said dismissively. "Long time no see, eh, Kai? How are you and the Bladebreakers doing?"

"Not too bad considering," Kai murmured in reply as he finished picking up the last of the packages. But he didn't hand them to her and hung on to them. "Where's your room?"

Alexia blinked. "You're helping me?"

Kai did not reply for a moment. "Unless you don't want it."

Alexia grinned. "This way. Come with me." Alexia walked down the hall, with Kai alongside her. After a while, she laughed softly.

"And what is so funny?" he raised an eyebrow.

"You're actually quite a gentleman when you're willing."

"How do you know that I'm not doing this so I'd find something about your team?"

"Okay one—even if you were, you'd never be successful. Please don't ask why. And two—I know that you're not that unscrupulous. You don't need to find out our secrets to be able to beat us."

Kai snorted. "You got that right."

Alexia just smiled. And then, she said, "Are you really that determined to beat Mike?"

"I am," Kai responded. "Why?"

Alexia just sighed. "I'll just give a warning right now… Treat Mike like a wolf. He's the leader of a pack. He can be bloodthirsty, and he'll do what he has to do to ensure the safety of his pack, but that does not include stepping over boundaries. So…be prepared to face anything when battling him."

She grinned at him. "You should get to know him better—a wolf is actually a pretty good friend if he's docile and tamed." She looked up. "Here's our room. Thank you for your help, Kai."

Kai did not answer, but he handed Alexia her packages. Before she could get into the room, Kai said, "You lot _will_ be at the mass practice session won't you?"

"Yes, of course—everyone has to," said Alexia. "Why do you ask?"

Kai turned away. "I'll be waiting, then."

"I'm sure Mike will be too," said Alexia, smiling. "He said he'd also been looking forward to seeing—"

"I _wasn't_ referring to Mike," he answer before turning around and striding away without a proper goodbye. Alexia didn't mind, though. She just smiled to herself and walked into the hotel room.

As she went inside, a tall figure walked into the living room from an adjoining room. He had ginger brown hair and bright blue eyes and quite good looking—and he was about nineteen in age. He wore wire-framed glasses and a black shirt and pants. "Alexia, here you are. Do you have the parts?"

"Right here, Zeus," replied Alexia, putting the packages down on a nearby table. "Our parts are all customized. Why do you need these parts?"

"Just trust me," said their researcher and manager, the young man called Zeus, smiling. "I'll take care of it all." He picked up some packages and said, "You'd better go with Mike now, Alexia. If you need me, I'll be at the lab."

"As usual," smiled Alexia.

Zeus was about to turn when he asked, "Hey, Alexia—is it just me or do you seem a little happy today?"

Alexia flushed. "No I'm not. I'm always like this."

"Well…you just seem happy," said Zeus. He grinned. "Anything I should know about?"

"I'm going!!" said Alexia loudly before turning on her heel and hurriedly walking out of the room. Zeus just watched as she went, laughed, and walked to his lab.

"Like they can hide anything from me," Zeus muttered cheerfully. "I've got tags on them and everything…"

****

Jade: I still am _not_ forgiving Zeus for the tagging thing…

****

Mike: (calmly) It's for our own good…

****

Patrick: (scowling) Our own good… (mutter mutter)

****

Alexia: But things _are_ getting interesting, aren't they? So? What do you guys think? Review, please!


	6. Chapter Six The Mass Practice

****

Jade: Man, these chapters are getting longer and longer!!

****

Mike: All the better! People'll know what we've been up to…

****

Patrick: (snorting) And you guys are getting sappier and sappier

****

Jade and Alexia: _Shut up, Pat!!_

****

Patrick: All right!! Sheesh… (looks to the readers) Go on. Read it. Make sure to review afterwards, you hear?

****

CHAPTER SIX

The Mass Practice

"Wake up!! Wake up!!"

Tyson awoke with a start to realize that Max, dressed already, was jumping up and down the foot of his bed in an effort to wake him up. "Good grief, Max, quit jumping up and down my bed!!"

"Hurry!" Max cried. "Wake up, _now_!!"

Ray stirred to life from his bed and stared at the sight of Max leaping up and down like a blonde marionette. "Wh-what's going on?" he asked sleepily.

Then, Kai, fully dressed, strode over to them and pulled off the covers with a snap. "Up! Now!!" he commanded imperiously.

"It's cold!" Tyson cried, curling up as frigid air overtook him. "What's going on, anyway? What's the rush!"

Max leapt off Tyson's bed and then ran down and then to the hotel room windows, pressing his nose against the glass. "Can you believe it? It's started!"

"What has?" asked Ray, getting up quickly.

"Mass practice!" snapped Kai. "They just said that mass practice was today, but they never specified what time. I think that when they said 'tomorrow' they really meant tomorrow! It's being held right down at the park across our hotel."

"What time is it?" asked Kenny, yawning and checking the clock. "It's seven in the morning!"

"There are already bladers down there," said Max. "Kai woke up ahead of everybody and he saw them all starting already. He woke me up. Man, this is cool!"

Tyson leapt off his bed. "How many down there already?"

"A dozen or so," said Kai. "But there're going to be more of them."

Ray went over to the window as well and gasped. "Aren't those guys the All-Stars?"

"Where?" Max demanded, looking around, until he suddenly spotted a blonde head that was his mother's. "There they are! It's the All-Stars! But when did they arrive?"

"Does that matter?" Kai raised an eyebrow. "We have to get down there." He turned to Tyson, Ray and Kenny. "Get dressed. The Relic Bladers might be going down already."

"Hey yeah," nodded Tyson. "I want to see them in action again!"

"You got _too_ much action yesterday, Tyson," said Kenny as Tyson and Ray ran off to get dressed at their closets nearby. Ray looked at him and asked, "What? Why?"

"Tyson challenged Patrick of the Arcan team to a battle yesterday," said Kenny. "His blade was amazingly powerful! If Patrick didn't call back his blade at the last minute, Dragoon would've been way beyond repair! I just barely salvaged it yesterday…"

"You had a fight?!" Kai thundered. "What were you thinking? You don't even know how powerful they were!"

"Well now I do," said Tyson with a grimace. "Now I'll definitely be taking those guys seriously. Patrick hadn't even properly called out a bit beast on me yesterday…"

"So how's Dragoon now?" asked Ray.

"Up and going—thank goodness," said Kenny. "But I'm still doing some work on him. You guys'll have to go and battle without Tyson at first, but he'll follow soon."

"Right," said Max. "Are we all ready?"

"Yeah," said Tyson, pumping his fist into the air. "Let's go already!!"

And the Bladebreakers ran out of their rooms.

Mike rolled over on his bed and opened his eyes. Zeus was staring out the window. Mike raised an eyebrow. "Why are you up and what are you staring at?"

"Mass practice has started," said Zeus calmly. "There are bladers gathering at the large park across the hotel. Some over a dozen, right now."

"Oh really?" asked Mike, sounding somewhat disinterested. He sat up and groped for his cap. "And?"

"Not bad," said Zeus. "The other teams are there already. You'll face eliminations before getting to finals. Wouldn't it be good if you checked out competition?"

"Yeah, I guess," said Mike, standing up. "But I know who our only real competition will be."

"Yup," said Zeus, handing him some sheets of paper that were bound up. Mike flipped through them. "Is this everything?"

"Everything necessary, yes," said Zeus.

"Let's see…The White Tigers…The All-Stars…The Majestics…of course, The Bladebreakers…" and Mike frowned. "We hardly have anything on The Demolition Boys."

"It's practically impossible," said Zeus. "I have as much as I could. I have no idea to the capabilities so far of they blades—I'm working on it—but I've got the players. But it's not like you'll need anything more…"

"Anything on BIOVOLT?" asked Mike.

Zeus smiled. "You should ask Mr. Dickinson about that."

Mike laughed. "The Bladebreakers would trip right over if they knew that Mr. Dickinson was in with us too. We're the two teams he made up to beat down BIOVOLT's plans."

"Yes, well…I don't think they should know of that just yet," said Zeus. "Did you know that Kai of the Bladebreakers used to be part of BIOVOLT?"

"Is that right?" Mike smirked. "He's not a Demolition Boy anymore is he? He's a Bladebreaker now, and as a Bladebreaker we'll take him."

The door banged open and Patrick came in. "Finally, our Fearless Leader is awake! Are we going down to that session?"

"Don't you know how to knock?" asked Mike, making a face at him.

"It's a hindrance," Patrick replied coolly. "We've all been awake. You're the last one. Well?"

"Not yet," said Mike as he got dressed. "We don't have to go down there just yet."

Alexia, peeking into the room with a raised eyebrow, said, "Oh yeah? The Bladebreakers are down there."

Mike looked out the window, and saw five figures running out of the hotel doors and down the slightly misted Moscow grounds. They were the Bladebreakers all right, and making beeline for the park.

Jade followed into the room and said, "And look over at the park. The All-Stars are there already—and they've just flown in from America."

"Jet lag much?" asked Mike.

"No use for sarcasm right now," muttered Patrick. "I think we should be down there."

Mike looked at his team, and then sighed. "Oh…all right. After breakfast. There's no need to rush…besides, I don't think we're still in the mood to do so yet…"

Bolshiekovavitch Park was large and that was where the mass practice session was to be had. There had been 12 blocks in the World Championship, and the top sixteen teams in the world were there with four extra but equally skilled teams. It wasn't all too crowded there yet when the Bladebreakers arrived.

A woman at the park entrance was there, holding a clipboard. "Hello, here for the mass practice?" she asked.

"Yes," said Tyson. "We're the Bladebreakers."

The woman checked her clipboard. "Oh yes. The Block B World Champions. Please proceed and pick a stadium to practice in—there are still many vacant ones."

With Tyson in the lead, they went into the park. Each team were occupying a dish where they were practicing by themselves, each partially hidden by the mist. Max looked around awhile and spotted who he was looking for. 

"Look!" he exclaimed. "The All-Stars!" He immediately ran to them. "Mom!"

Judy looked up and saw him. "Max!"

Max ran to his mother and immediately gave her a hug. Judy smiled at him. "It's so nice to see you again, Max."

"Me too, mom—when did you and the All-Stars arrive in Russia?" he asked.

"Actually we just got here a couple of hours ago," said Emily, holding her tennis racquet. "But we've got jet lag. So we decided to tire ourselves out with the mass practice session."

The rest of the Bladebreakers came up behind Max, and Steve said, "Well look what the cat dragged in. So all of you are here already, huh?"

"We couldn't wait to start," Tyson grinned. "There are so many bladers here and so many cool blades."

"Well, there're practice battles too," said Michael. "I want a rematch, Max."

"Aw, now?" Max grinned at him. "No fair—let me warm up first like the rest of you are doing and then let's see if we'll go about it."

"That's a deal!"

Kai sniffed irritably. "Look, you guys, our targets here are the Relic Bladers."

"Have you guys heard of them?" asked Ray. "They're from Arcanis, and they're the Block F World Champions."

Eddy crossed his long arms and nodded. "Yeah. We've heard. It's amazing how little is known about them, though. We had Emily doing all-round searching."

"Their blades seem to be incredibly new and unusual," said Emily. "We can't even begin to theorize how such blades were created."

"I know," nodded Tyson. "I fought with one of them. Patrick Crowe."

"You have?" Michael stared at him. "So how's your beyblade doing after repairs?"

"Recuperating but well," bristled Tyson. "You already know that I lost?!"

"That's a given—we know how powerful their blades are, and Patrick happens to be the most ruthless and has been known to wreak havoc on beyblades," said Emily with a shrug. "That's why we're practicing non-stop and hoping to get data on their blades when they come around."

Judy looked at Max. "I'll give you a word of advice now, Max—be careful when dealing with them. There are too many hidden factors when it comes to them. Be prepared for _anything."_

"Right," nodded Max. "We'll keep that in mind."

"Come on," said Kai. "Let's go and practice already. Once we've warmed up, you can all go challenge whoever you like."

"Any certain prey you've spotted for yourself, Kai?" asked Kenny.

Ray laughed. "Who else, but Mike?"

Michael stifled a laugh. "Come on. I know you guys are good, but can you be _that_ good? Mike is such a good blader that even _we're_ wary of him."

"That goes for the rest of his team for sure," said Steve. "I saw a clip of a bout of theirs in one of the preliminaries. I pity the opposing beyblades."

Kai ignored all this and towed his team away to an unoccupied beystadium not to far from where the All-Stars were. Tyson immediately grabbed Kenny and said, "Come on, Chief, make with the miracle repairs! I really need Dragoon in perfect condition so I can have a rematch with Patrick!"

"Okay, just hold your horses, Tyson—we're getting there," said Kenny as he took Dragoon and then his toolbox.

Kai took out his Dranzer, followed by Ray and Max. Ray grinned. "Let's see who stays in there last."

"Well I've got the endurance for it," laughed Max.

"Then quit talking and start beyblading," said Kai.

Tyson, who was out, then said, "Three! Two! One! _Let it rip!!_"

Three beyblades flew into the large arena in the ground—Dranzer, Driger and Draciel. The three beyblades went to chasing each other all around the beystadium before separating. Driger bounced off and crashed into Draciel, who got thrown back, but remained spinning due to it's drastic defense.

Draciel went around and slammed into Dranzer, who was pushed up the stadium, and the blue beyblade sped towards Driger. It crashed into the gray beyblade, which flew back a moment before returning the crash which sent Dranzer spiraling into Draciel.

The three beyblades peeled out again and began spinning rapidly around the stadium. By this time, some other bladers had begun to watch in interest at the awesome fight as again and again the beyblades stuck but none refused to give way.

Then, the three beyblades crashed, then flew apart they all came together in a sudden powerful crash that sent them all spiraling to the rim of the arena, where the three watched anxiously as each one teetered on the edge.

After a breathless moment, Draciel dropped off and Max groaned. "Darn. That was just bad luck. Oh well."

Now only two slipped back in and remained spinning in the beystadium. Dranzer and Driger proceeded to bash each other with almost unprecedented ferocity, and both beybladers felt the intense tension rising. There was quite a crowd watching them now, watching in awe at the battle.

Ray yelled, "Tiger Claw!"

Driger spun to Dranzer with sudden ferocious speed and with a powerful crash, sent the blue beyblade into the air. Kai snorted. "Good—but not good enough. Now, Dranzer! Flame Saber!!"

From up above, flames surrounded Dranzer and it shot down like a rocket and hit Ray's beyblade. Driger flew out of the arena, to be caught by Ray. Ray snapped his fingers. "Darn. I should've been more careful that time."

The crowd around them applauded as Dranzer continued to spin in the beystadium, and then flew back to Kai who merely reacted coolly, like this sort of thing happened to him so often that it was commonplace. Which was most probably what it indeed was.

"Kai wins!" Tyson laughed.

Barely had the crowd finished the applause, however, when a sudden, almost earth-shaking crash resounded down the whole park. There a sudden pair of crashes, and sudden, dust and debris billowed out from behind them. They all ducked or raised their arms in protection against the bits of stone arena.

And then a voice.

"For the love of god, you two—quit destroying the beystadium!!"

"We can't help it! Their bowl's carved on soft stone!"

When the dust cleared, everyone looked to see a pair of bright lights spinning rapidly in a stadium—one a metallic blue rocket, and the other, a red bolt of metal. It was only when they got a good look that they realized that the two spinning bolts were beyblades, but as these beyblades went, they were carving down a path in the stone arena. On opposite sides of the stadium were two holes, as if created by two heavy objects powerfully crashing in to the wall.

Then they saw who was practicing. There was Patrick on one side, and Alexia stood on the other. The two of them were coughing and waving the dust away so they could see how their beyblades were doing.

"Darn it, this is getting annoying!" said Patrick. "Can't they build stronger arenas?"

"These are only makeshift ones for the mass practice!" said Jade from one side of the stadium, dusting off her black pants.

"Now quit griping and get back to practicing!" said Mike imperiously.

"Right, right," said Alexia. "Go on, Aldebaran!"

The red bolt of a beyblade suddenly shot like a bullet across the stadium and struck the Armada beyblade. The two rammed into the wall. The Relic Bladers groaned. "Not again…"

Dust billowed out again. Then a voice yelled, "Patrick! Alexia! That's enough!"

"Aw, Zeus, we were just getting started!"

"Your beystadium's finished, though."

Patrick shrugged. "He has a point."

Both beyblades in the arena flew out. Patrick caught his, but he swung around in a full circle at the inertia it had. Alexia caught hers but nearly ended up falling down.

"Whew."

Everyone stared, appalled. The dust totally cleared. The Arcanis National Team—the Relic Bladers—had destroyed one of the stone arenas in their practice.

"They're here already?" Max blinked.

"Hm," was all Kai said as he frowned at their direction. The arena was pitiful. It was practically demolished. Everyone stared, stunned, at the sight of this. Their beyblades looked extremely heavy, judging by the inertia and the grooved stadium.

"What kind of stone did they use on these things?" asked Mike, picking up a chunk.

"I guess the softer ones—if we can bash through these stone tiles," said Jade.

The other new person that they didn't recognize was the one they called Zeus, and he looked a lot older than the rest of them. Kenny blinked, recognizing him to be their 'researcher'. However, he looked rather mysterious and quite older, as unlike open and young Kenny was.

The Bladebreakers quickly ran to them. "Hey you guys!"

The Relic Bladers, surprised, looked up at them as they approached. "Bladebreakers!"

Mike grinned as they stopped near them. "Nice to see you here. We would've watched that really cool battle awhile ago, but we had to start practice."

Ray gaped at the stadium. "What did you do to the beystadium?"

"Looks like a tractor ran through it or something," said Max.

"These beyblades are so darn heavy that they do that to almost every arena," said Jade in exasperation. "That's why it's hard to practice sometimes—it always has to be solid cement or granite or something."

"And they spin too fast for the plastic ones and their friction makes plastic melt," sighed Patrick.

Alexia looked up at the lady at the gates of the park. "Miss! Can we transfer arenas? This one got wrecked."

The woman, who was certainly stunned at the sight, nodded and said, "Of course. It got…destroyed."

The Relic Bladers shrugged and they moved on to another arena with the Bladebreakers in tow, while the other bladers were murmuring to themselves.

"You guys were pretty early here, huh?" said Jade.

"Yeah," nodded Ray. "We decided to look and see who was here already."

Mike turned to Kai. "I heard that you've been hankering for a match. I'd be happy to oblige after my other teammates have done practicing."

"The definition of practice being having matches of our own," grimaced Patrick.

"Fine! I want to battle!"

They looked up at the voice and Mariah came striding into the fray, with Galix in one hand. Behind her were the other White Tigers who did not approach. She walked up to them and said, "I want to battle her! Jade!"

Jade blinked at the Chinese girl's suddenness. "Well…sure, Mariah. Okay."

"Is she mad or what?" Max said aside to Tyson, and Tyson simply shrugged, saying, "I don't know, but Mariah sure looks determined."

Ray looked from one girl to another. _Man…this is starting to get ugly…_ He saw Lee, watching from another arena, with his arms crossed over his chest. Ray went to him. "Hey Lee."

"Ray," nodded Lee in greeting. After a moment, he said, "What do you think?"

"Mariah…she's determined, she…has a shot," shrugged Ray, who was outwardly lying through his teeth. 

Lee shrugged. "I don't know, but Mariah's been in a mood against the Arcans since yesterday. I think she might be jealous."

"About what?" asked Ray.

"Some things…" Kevin commented as he passed by. "If you don't know yet, Ray, you're pretty dense."

"Huh?" Ray blinked, completely oblivious.

"Nah, forget it," said Kevin. "Let's watch the fight."

At the arena, Mariah stood on one side. _There is _no way_ that she's beating me…_

Jade stared at her. _Why is she so mad? What did _I_ do? I guess she might have a thing about Ray… _

Even the All-Stars had joined in to see the match. Michael looked at the two girls. "Oh, a catfight, eh? This'll be good. Bladers! Three, two, one!!"

"_Let it rip!!_" came the chorus of the crowd.

Mariah launched with a yell, "Go, Galix!!"

Jade, with her bow and arrow, released the arrow ripcord and there were sparks as her Auran flew out. Mariah gasped and ducked as the arrow went past her. "Hey, watch it with that thing!" she yelled.

"Sorry," said Jade, but then the rest was drowned out as, with a powerful crash, Auran hit the arena and cracked the stone. It rushed about the arena, whirling like a green comet, and making a gauge in its path around the arena, in hot pursuit of the pink Galix.

Mariah was up for a game of chicken. Galix made a U-turn and began heading for Auran.

"I wouldn't do that, Mariah…" muttered Jade.

"What, are you scared?" Mariah grinned.

Jade sighed. Galix came rushing at Auran, and, when it was about a foot away, Auran suddenly bolted forward and crashed headlong into Galix. The impact was terrible as Auran's murderous spiral solid metal blades and spikes whirling at unprecedented speed smashed into the pink beyblade. Galix instantly flew apart and pieces hit the opposite wall of the stadium.

Mariah shrieked. "Galix!!"

Everyone was appalled at how quick it was. "Talk about sudden death…" Emily murmured.

Mariah ran into the stadium and picked up Galix's parts. Jade also ran in and said, "I'm really sorry, Mariah. I'll help you fix your beyblade if you want…"

"No!" Mariah cried, slapping her hand away. "I don't need your help!"

And then, teary-eyed, she gathered up Galix's pieces and ran to the arena where Lee stood waiting to help her remake the shattered beyblade. Lee looked up at Jade with a frown on his face, and then turned his attention back to Mariah.

Jade walked back up to everyone else and said to Ray, "I…I really didn't mean to break her blade. It's just that I thought she'd evade. I guess Auran crashed too hard…"

Ray just stared at her. Jade walked off and went to sit down next to Zeus, who looked at her. "What's wrong? You won, Jade."

"But I broke Mariah's blade and now Ray's mad at me," she replied, and said nothing more.

Zeus sighed discerning the main problem. "Come on, you guys, carry on practice."

Michael, enflamed by the power of the Arcan beyblades, said in a blaze of passionate confidence, "I want to fight too, then! I want to take on one of you too."

There was a pause as everyone waited, and Mike elbowed Alexia forward. "Your turn."

"What?!" she asked, stunned.

"Patrick already had his battle with Tyson," said Mike calmly. "Take your spot."

Alexia sighed and went over to one side of the stadium. Across her, Michael stood, tossing a baseball. "You're my opponent then, Alexia Raven?"

"Yes," nodded Alexia. "I see that you All-Stars have been doing research. Oh well. So, shall we?"

"More than ready," said Michael. Now this time, Michael, after seeing what had been done to Mariah's blade with barely any effort, immediately shifted to his right hand, to not give any chances at all. 

"Judy, are you sure about this?" Emily asked her boss, and Judy just nodded. "I think it's good experience."

Alexia took out a large silver gun—a Desert eagle—and a closer looked revealed it to be her shooter. A red metallic beyblade was in her other hand. For the first time, they got a good look at it.

Alexia's beyblade Aldebaran was metallic red in color and made of the same solid heavy metal alloy that composed all of the other Arcan bladers'. Her attack ring was also thick, and around the attack ring were small red metal globes. But each of these globes had needle-sharp spikes all over them, giving Alexia's blade a look that made it seem like it was a crown of thorns. The defense ring was a blade like an axe's, straight all around it, and the beyblade tip was pointed.

She put the beyblade into the launcher. "Ready?"

"Three—two—one—_let it rip!!_"

Michael pitched the baseball, and Alexia fired the Desert Eagle with a bang. Both beyblades hit the stadium—Alexia's cracking the stone as well and gauging it as soon as it went running. Michael tried a different tactic—facing the beyblade headlong was obviously not a good idea.

"Let's see if you can tag me as I run to home base!" Michael grinned as his beyblade Trygle shot around the arena. Alexia kept her eye on the orange blade and was about to command Aldebaran, when she saw a flicker of red from behind the crowd watching.

Her attention wavered as she spotted a handsome fair-skinned figure with a flaming head of red and a shimmer of blue eyes. She stifled a gasp. _That's…_

"Alexia, concentrate!" exclaimed Mike.

Alexia turned back to the battle, and she saw that Trygle was coming at her. Aldebaran evaded just in time and Trygle missed a hit. "Close one," Alexia thought.

She watched as Michael rounded the dish again. "Not this time. Go, Aldebaran!"

In a blast of sudden red, Aldebaran, shot right across the stadium and hit Trygle with powerful force. Trygle split in half and rolled down to the stadium floor. Michael gasped in shock.

But Alexia didn't even wait for a verdict. Aldebaran flew back into her hands, and she caught it—barely stopping its inertia, though, and she suddenly tore out of the crowd. "Alexia!" said Zeus. "Where are you going?"

Alexia didn't even seem to hear, but they all saw that she was running to someone beyond the crowd, standing by himself. Kai blinked as he watched her go and he recognized the person she was running to. "Tala?"

The Russian beyblader was standing calmly in front of an unused arena, seemingly not paying attention to anything else that was going on. "Tala!" Alexia exclaimed.

He turned around at the sound of her voice and saw her. "Alexia. You… What are _you_ doing here?"

Alexia frowned on him and promptly whacked him upside the head. "You idiot! I was worried sick about you! You never came back! _I_ should ask _you_ what you're doing here! Have you any idea how long it took me to find you?"

"Is this how you greet me after all this time?" Tala retorted, annoyed, rubbing his head as he looked at Alexia and saw her eyes misting over.

From the group of beybladers, Tyson said, blinking, "I didn't know that Alexia knew Tala."

But the Relic Bladers were obviously on a different line. "So that's Tala now, huh? The Demolition Boys version," said Patrick with a rather surprised intonation. "Pretty interesting."

"Huh," nodded Mike, looking quite oddly still. "I guess our search is pretty much over for this one. But he's changed. Drastically. It looks like this is going to have a hard ending for Alexia…and the rest of us too…"

"What're you talking about?" asked Kai.

"Well, all we can tell you is that we've all been looking for Tala for a long time now," said Jade as Alexia continued to talk with the red-haired beyblader. "He's actually an important person to Alexia."

Kai turned back to the pair. _An important person, huh?_

Alexia frowned as she looked at him. "But what do you mean…you can't come back?"

"I'm sorry," said Tala, looking as serious as ever. "I don't want to. I want to be the greatest beyblader. It's only here that I can do it."

"Under BIOVOLT?" Alexia glared at him.

"How did you know about—oh." Tala frowned at her slightly as realization dawned on him. "So you're one of them now, huh?"

"And _you're_ one of _them_," Alexia replied.

Tala said nothing in reply, and one would feel that he didn't want to. Then Alexia said, "Please, Tala? You just have to come back. I need you."

Max blinked. "Oh, this is getting serious."

"Max, please—eavesdropping isn't good manners," said Dizzi and Kenny shushed her.

Kai finally got fed up and turned away. This movement caught Tala's eye and he saw the rest of the Relic Bladers, who were staring at him with grim faces, all of them standing rigid and gripping their beyblades. Then he said, "Alexia, I think you better return to the group."

"No. I'm not going until you give me an answer."

Tala looked exasperated but anxious. He bent down and put his hands to her shoulders. "Listen, Alexia—I'll tell you the truth. I really _would_ go with you. But I can't. BIOVOLT won't let me go…and besides…until I am beaten…I'll still be going for being the best beyblader in the world. I want to be great—and look, so far no one has beaten me!"

"So you have to be beaten," said Alexia stolidly. "Is that it?"

"Well…yes."

"Fine!" Alexia said fervently, glaring at him. "We'll beat you."

And she whirled around and stomped back to the group with a furious look. Tala rolled his eyes and Ian came up behind him. "What was that all about?" he asked, looking at the Russian team captain.

"Nothing that you should care about," Tala answered before pushing past him.

"You okay, Alexia?" asked Jade as Alexia came back to them.

"Yes," replied Alexia. "Just peachy. Guess what—now, more than ever, I _really_ want to beat down those Demolition Boys. Hey Fearless Leader! Take us to the finals!"

"I was hoping for that," Mike grinned. But he frowned as he glanced at Tala. _What's happened to you? You've changed so much…_ he shook his head and turned back to his teammates. Eventually something would have to be done, but now was still an awkward time for things.

Kai caught Alexia's eye, and Kai snorted and turned away. _Tala,_ he thought. _Of all people. That guy's got too much ego, if _I_ were asked… What does he have to do with Alexia anyway?_ _One thing's for sure—he became a creep to her and left her for BIOVOLT. And now I can't let _that_ pass by, now can I? I've always wanted to beat Tala anyway._

"Kai, you're staring into empty space," Ray remarked.

"It's nothing," said Kai, getting back to his senses. Ray blinked.

Michael was still appalled. "But… My Trygle…it's just been newly upgraded… How was it possible…that I…that I was beaten?!"

"I'm sorry to burst your scientific bubble, dude, but we've also just upgraded _our_ beyblades," replied Patrick coolly. "What do you say now?"

Steve snarled but Judy said, "Cool down, Steven. This is only a practice session." She glanced to Emily and murmured, "Did you get anything?"

Emily was white as a sheet. "I—I'm sorry, Judy—but it all went so fast! And something is deliberately trying to prevent us from getting any data from them! There is an almost impenetrable firewall around them, and not even our scanners could get anything from the blades."

"What?!"

From a secluded spot nearby, Zeus smirked to himself as he slowly shut a laptop that he'd previously been typing on to counter a certain scanner and hacking system. "Not today, All-Stars…" he muttered in singsong with a grin.

Alexia sat next to Jade on the bench. "This day just gets better, don't it?" Alexia muttered.

"Didn't go very well, huh?" Jade murmured.

Alexia shook her head. "Almost the worst-case scenario, I'd say. I can't believe that Tala…what's happened to him? He's not the Tala I remember…"

"He isn't," Kai said to himself. "This is all by BIOVOLT's brainwashing and training…" He looked to his left and saw Ray staring at the White Tigers, who were still alternating on consoling Mariah and helping her remake her blade.

"Not a pretty sight for you, eh?" he asked.

Ray was hesitant. "I…I don't know what to say. On that awesome display of power. Kai…we may be in on our heads."

"Hm. We'll discuss this with everyone when we get back to the hotel."

Mike suddenly rose from his place as Kai turned around to look at him. Mike smirked and tapped his cap. "Well. Now that they're all done…shall we?"

"Oh, Fearless Leader's up for a fight, eh?" grinned Patrick. "Go and show him what you can do."

"Yes, Mike," said Zeus, smiling. "Why don't you? I'm sure that he's anxious to see a performance."

Mike turned to Kai and said, "Let's go then." And he raised up his catapult-grip DX-type launcher with a wolf's head for an adornment with a huge sword-like ripcord—he'd dubbed it a 'rip-sword'—and the huge gleaming silver Archonwolf beyblade was there and waiting, like a menacing, sleeping wolf.

Kai raised up Dranzer, and said, "I'll show you just what I can do."

Zeus stood up. "All right then! Three—two—one!!"

"_Let it rip!!_" everyone chorused.

With a yell, Kai shot out Dranzer, and the beyblade flew out with a smoking launch. Mike also released his beyblade, and sparks rained down with the release, and before they even hit the stadium, Archonwolf came in impact to Dranzer.

There was a sudden snapping sound, and Kai gasped.

"What was that?" Tyson exclaimed as the two beyblades landed on the stadium in crashes—Archonwolf crushing a tile in the process.

Kenny was immediately scanning and he gasped. "Look! Kai's beyblade!"

A closer look on the blue beyblade and a freeze-frame from Kenny's laptop showed a startling injury. Kai's defense ring had been snapped, but it was still attached to the beyblade.

"How—how did that happen?" Kai gasped, stunned.

In a flash, they remembered. Upon impact, one of the massive blades attached to Archonwolf and slashed right at the defense ring—and Kai's release had been so powerful that it was running up the impact to Archonwolf. But the Arcan beyblade was far heavier and more solid that the defense ring, unable to take the abuse, had split.

Mike smiled quietly to himself, watching with crossed arms over the battle. Kai clenched a fist, aware of the danger that he and everyone else would know—if this kept up and the defense ring went unhinged from where it was on the beyblade, Kai would practically be defenseless against the solid metal abuse to be taken from the wicked beyblade.

"All it takes is one more hit," murmured Mike. "Go on now, Archonwolf!"

The silver beyblade blasted like a lightning bolt. "Dranzer, evade him!" Kai cried.

Dranzer shifted position with instant agility, and Archonwolf passed by, unable to catch impact. It grooved a path just barely missing Kai's beyblade.

"Oh, well done," said Mike, smiling.

"Stop grinning—it's not over yet!" Kai snarled. "I can still attack. Dranzer!!"

A powerful red light exploded from the beyblade, and it went charging at Archonwolf in full throttle, like a flaming rocket. Archonwolf immediately swerved to evade and suddenly swung around and landed a powerful strike at Dranzer from behind.

"No!" Kai gasped. _How did he move so fast?_

As if divining what he had in his mind, Mike replied, "I thought you'd like to know—I have the fastest beyblade of all of us Relic Bladers! Like lightning!" 

Suddenly, it happened. The halved defense ring had been pushed out by force of impact and clattered to the bottom of the stadium. But, although rendered defenseless, Dranzer was still spinning as it flew into the air.

__

I still have one shot… though Kai. "Dranzer, Flame Saber!!"

And, in the same trick as it had done to Driger, a whirling rocket of flame came to the ground, heading for the beyblade in the center. But Mike seemed incredibly calm as he watched. "It's not a good idea, Kai…"

"Shut up!" snapped Kai.

"I warned you…" said Mike. "Do you really think that your beyblade is strong enough to handle an impact collision course with my Archonwolf? I see that I'll have to prove you wrong, then!"

"What are you talking abo—_NO_!!" Kai immediately gasped.

And then they all soon found out why Mike kept Archonwolf in position and waited for Kai to land. With the defense ring gone, Kai's beyblade had taken a toll on its strength and it was now quite lighter and only had the less solid parts than the defense ring.

It impacted on top of Mike's blade, and instantly shattered by the force that it could not take. Mike's blade merely sank to the ground somewhat, but was not hurt at all because of its incredible metal alloy and solid heaviness.

Everyone gasped, appalled, at the sight. Mike looked up and said, "Archonwolf, come on."

The silver beyblade flew out of the stadium, and Mike caught it with two hands, but he took a few steps back with the force it had. And then he smiled slightly to Kai. "Match ended. I win."

Kai could not speak, stunned. The beyblade had been demolished, and the only recognizable parts were the pieces of the attack ring and the intact bit piece.

There was silence, and suddenly, a united chorus of applause came form the other bladers in the area. The match was quite astounding, and no one can deny the power of the Arcan beybladers. At this abashing act, the Relic Bladers flushed only so slightly as they all stood together. Zeus, smiling, came up behind them.

"Well then—what do you guys say to calling it a day for practice?" he asked.

Mike nodded. "Yeah. I think we've had enough practice for one day…and we've wrecked another beystadium…"

The Arcan team then walked through the crowd of other bladers. Mike smirked slightly at Kai again as he passed, and the latter glared at him. Patrick coolly grinned, looking rather smug, which made Tyson rather irritated. Alexia glanced Kai and he turned away, and he spotted Tala nearby. Tala glanced at her, but Alexia frowned and turned away. Ray watched as Jade passed, and Jade only looked at him for a brief moment without changing the serious look on her face and then turned back ahead.

The Relic Bladers then walked out of the park amidst general murmuring.

Tyson said, after a moment, "You guys…I hope you don't think me out of it right now but…I think I just got a little freaked out by that group…"

"Me too…actually…" murmured Max.

Judy frowned. She turned to her team. "That's it everyone. Back to practice. Let's work harder this time. Emily, just get all the data you have and let's get to work to upgrading your beyblades!"

Kai nodded to his group. "Let's get to work as well. Chief, you know what to do."

"I'm right on it!" said Kenny, nodding. Kai shoved at him the remains of Dranzer and stalked over to a seat and sat down, looking like he was brooding. Tyson said, "Oh don't worry about it, Kai—I'm sure the Chief will have Dranzer better than ever when he's through."

"It's more like he'd _better_ have it better than ever," said Kai, though not sounding hostile. "It's more of a necessity now… Now that we know exactly how powerful the Relic Bladers are."

Max looked over to Ray and said, "You've been quiet."

Ray blinked and looked at Max and asked, "Hey Max…you don't happen to know why Jade looked at me like that, did you?"

"Wouldn't she have?" Max blinked. "You _were_ looking as if you were mad at _her_ awhile ago…"

Ray was surprised a bit. "When?"

"You don't even know?" Max blinked. "When Mariah's blade got trashed and she was saying something to you. You just _looked_ at her like you couldn't stand it. I guess it got her pretty upset."

"I guess…I _may_ have been upset at the time," he murmured.

Max shrugged. "I guess that's why she isn't going to be so sociable now…" And he turned back to Kenny to look over his shoulder as he continued to see how their blades could possibly be worked to beat the Arcans'. 

****

Jade: Oooh… looks bad.

****

Mike: But good competition…

****

Alexia: …I'm going to get Tala for this…

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Patrick: Chill out. It'll be all right. Hey, everybody—review!!


	7. Chapter Seven The Majestics Arrive

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Jade: This is it—last installment for the update. Let's see how things fare his time…

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Mike: It looks like it's getting better, though… Kind of…

****

Alexia: Just had to go and ruin the guy's beyblade, didn't you?

****

Patrick: (smirking) And you are defensive, why?

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Alexia: Stuff a sock in it, Pat. All right everybody, read and review!!

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CHAPTER SEVEN

The Majestics Arrive

By the time the Bladebreakers decided to pull out of the practice, it was already rather past lunchtime and they were forced to call it a day due to Tyson's griping in lack of food. Besides, none of them could do much now unless their blades were drastically upgraded to match their opponents'.

Kenny looked rather melancholy as they walked down the path in the grounds and headed for the hotel doors. "I think we're really going to have to burn the midnight oil, Dizzi," he murmured. "We really _have_ to figure a way on this problem. Those blades were just…incredible. So much that no one would've thought that they would've existed…"

"Yeah…" said Max. "I heard that Michael's blade had to really be rushed into repairs… Mom and Emily are working on them."

Tyson, looking at the small bag that Kai grasped in his hand, said, "So how long do you think it will be before Kai's Dranzer is back from the dead, eh, Chief?"

"I'm not entirely sure, Tyson—Mike did some pretty serious damage on it without even trying too hard," remarked Kenny. "A day or so, I guess…hopefully by then I'd've found _something_ that'll give us a shot against the Arcans. And our bit beasts will have to do extra well on that…"

"I know _I_ will," Dizzi said, sounding very much unexcited of the prospect of working doubly hard on such pressure.

The other two said nothing, looking rather like they were thinking hard on what to do about this obstacle that they had to overcome before the tournaments actually start. Admittedly, this was not an easy one, for they already have the Demolition Boys to contend with.

As they walked down the grounds, though, they heard odd noises from one side of the grounds. There was the sound of feet rushing in grass, and then silence. And then again, and silence. Occasionally, there'd be a sound of metal, but then suddenly stopping.

"What do you think is going on over there?" asked Max.

"It's too foggy to see," said Kenny.

"We don't have time for this," said Kai. "Let's go back to the hotel room and do work on our blades."

"All right," said Tyson. "We'd better… looks like this tournament's going to be the hardest one."

The Bladebreakers vanished into the mists. The sounds on the corner of the grounds continued. A foot stepped on a twig. Instantly, arrows came raining down. A blade flashed, and the scythe slashed through the arrows.

Patrick gasped and had to leap back as arrows still came pelting at him and he continued to bat them away with his scythe. Jade seemed to be intent on landing a good hit, though, as she kept firing at him.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Mike stood, as still as a statue, eyes closed, holding a gleaming ceremonial katana before him in his hands. Suddenly, there was a gunshot that tore through the air, and in a flash of steel, Mike had slashed the bullet in half and it fell past him.

"Nice one," said Alexia, smiling as she blew on the smoking gun.

"Well it would have _really_ hurt if I missed," Mike made a face at her.

"It's only a BB bullet," Alexia rolled her eyes. Mike looked up at the two who were still in combat and said, "Chill, you two. We've got company."

"Huh?" they both asked and stopped in what they were doing. 

Indeed, figured were moving towards them through the mist. The Relic Bladers all stood ready, waiting for them to come clearly, weapons all drawn. As the figures approached, the shorter one said, "Hey, take it easy. We're not here to hurt you!"

The figures came to clear sight. The taller one had pale blonde hair and grayish eyes, and the other one, with a cap, had vibrant green hair and rather same color eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Patrick, who hadn't lowered his scythe an inch.

"Okay, take it easy," said the blonde one, raising up his hands. "We're unarmed. Why _would_ we even hurt you anyway?"

The Relic Bladers all lowered their weapons. "Sorry," said Jade. "You startled us in the middle of our training." She stopped and tilted her head at them. "Do I know you guys?"

"I think we've met," said the green-haired one. "My name is Oliver, and this is Enrique. We're members of the Majestics—another beyblading group in the tournament."

"Oh, the Majestics," said Alexia, nodding. "I've heard of you all. You're the guys who used to be by yourselves and are now a group."

"That's right," said Enrique, nodding. "You're Jade, right?" he asked, turning to the green-eyed female blader.

"Yes, I am," nodded Jade.

"Well, we've been here since this morning, and we don't stay at this hotel," said Oliver. "Robert has been looking for you."

"Oh!" Jade smiled. "Robert is here? I _would_ like to see him. We haven't seen each other in a long time."

"Well that's why we're here!" said Enrique. "He's been feeling a little off the weather. Why don't you come with us to see him?"

Jade looked at Mike, who shrugged, looking like her certainly didn't mind. He knew Robert, and respected him to be an exemplary blader worthy of great praise.

"We need a time out from practice, anyway," said Mike. "Guys, let's go upstairs. Jade, go with them."

"All right—see you later, you guys."

Ray watched quietly as Jade went with the two Majestics, her fellow teammates walking off to the direction of the hotel. Was it some omen that he suddenly realized that his ripcord was missing and he'd gone and retraced his steps to find it, only to overhear that Robert, who was obviously close to Jade, was looking for her?

__

Well…does that matter? he wondered. _It shouldn't be a big deal if Robert wants to see her. But why does it bother me?_

But then, he felt a twinge of discomfort. He didn't like the way Jade looked at him as she passed by him just this morning. And then he remembered Mariah and her destroyed Galix. Somehow, he felt so sorry for her when her blade got destroyed—she'd had it for a long time.

He'd gotten so wrapped up that he wasn't paying attention to what Jade was telling him, and he looked at her that way, upset that she'd destroyed his friend's beyblade.

__

I guess I have no choice now…since she's obviously upset with me… thought Ray as he watched her. _I'll have to stick up for Mariah…somehow. I guess so._

"So I see that I'm not the only one staring into empty space."

Ray jumped. He turned around. "Kai, you nearly scared the life out of me."

"Hm," was the only reply from the Bladebreaker captain. He looked up and said, "Or were you staring not to empty space and rather to something—or someone."

Ray flushed and said, "What are you talking about, Kai? I just went to find my ripcord." And it was only then did he realize that the truth sounded rather lame when he said it outright.

Unable to think of any other argument, he walked off, passing Kai and hurried into the hotel. Kai raised an eyebrow. He walked back to the hotel, thinking, _I've problems of my own… I think I'm going to have to arrange a meeting with Tala…_

Boris stared at Tala. "Are you sure about what you're telling me?"

"Yes, sir," nodded Tala. "I've seen the power of the Arcan bladers first hand. They're undoubtedly a fierce opponent."

"Hm…looks like Arcanis holds many secrets…and among those the power to create incredible beyblades and the breeding of such powerful bladers," murmured Boris. "Admittedly, even we have not managed to break through their barricades to find and use these secrets for our own purposes."

There was a pause. "What do you think, Tala? How do they fare against the Demolition Boys?"

"I think, sir, that although they are powerful, they will still be unable to compete with us. We are still superior to them. Although…I'll have to say that the stadiums for the tournament will have to be greatly strengthened to hold the weight and force of the beyblades they own…"

Boris nodded, knowing that it will be tended to at once. And then another pause. He then smiled. "Tala…don't you wish you'd remained in Arcanis, then? If you only knew how powerful the team and their blades were going to be?"

The slow but tight clenching of Tala's fist went unnoticed and so did the almost unnecessary pause in his reply. "…No, sir."

"Why is that?" asked Boris, smirking, as he tested him.

Tala fought to keep himself under control and remain cold and impassive as ever and just blinked back. "Because I know that our technology and techniques are still superior, and no powers in Arcanis or anywhere else can possibly compete."

"And with the partial reason of you knowing first hand on things Arcan, I will have faith in that observation," said Boris. "You may go now, Tala."

Tala nodded and left, letting out his breath in the hall. _Damn… Arcanis just had to send a team… And just the luck that they had to send Alexia… She's an incredible beyblader, I know… I should've expected it._

And he walked off. As his footsteps died away from behind the door, Ian materialized in the shadows of Boris' office. "You asked for me, sir?" he asked.

"You were with Tala when you two returned to Bolshiekovavitch park to scope out your competition, weren't you, Ian?" Boris asked thoughtfully, with a hand on his chin.

"Yes, sir."

"What were your observations on him?"

Ian stopped for the a brief instant, wondering if it would be a very good idea to say something about an obviously personal matter for Tala that he'd witnessed. And then he said, "He appeared to have been behaving rather oddly, sir."

"Odd in what way?"

Ian swallowed and said, "He…he seems to have…wavered, as I would put it, upon contact with the Relic Bladers from Arcanis."

"Wavered?" Boris asked, more concerned now.

"He…the training on him, sir…seemed to have rather…melted. Only very slightly. But he kept himself under impressive control and remained very focused."

Boris thought for a moment. He should've expected this since he'd gotten wind of a sudden Arcan team. He had thought that the training on Tala had been sufficient enough to fully blockade against memories and emotions of his past in that land he was taken from…but if he has wavered, then it wasn't quite enough.

"Ian, what do you think may be the cause of this?" asked Boris.

Ian stopped again. Demolition Boy or not, Tala was probably a friend to him—as he and the other Demolition Boys were the only ones who'd made it through the training of BIOVOLT—not counting the prodigy Kai—and he felt somewhat of a connection to him somehow. But it seems, though, that BIOVOLT's training overruled this.

"There was one of them, sir," he replied. "One of them, a girl they called Alexia, she ran to him and spoke to him. At that moment, Tala wavered."

"Alexia…hm…" Boris murmured. He was quiet for a very long while. Ian felt the slightest twinge of guilt on ratting out what happened to Tala.

He asked, "Sir…is it true? I have heard…but wasn't sure if it is…but…" he paused and said, "Is Tala…an Arcan?"

Boris looked up at him for a moment and resumed thinking as he answered, "Oh yes. Tala is an Arcan. Thus his incredible skill which is a heritage passed to all Arcans. But we took him from Arcanis and combined the Arcan skill with BIOVOLT technology and training, and produced the incredible beyblader that is Tala now."

Ian was surprised but resisted showing any signs of it. He did not know that Tala was Arcan. He wavered because of having contact with a team from his own land. But now, after what he'd told, Tala would be subjected to such means that it would completely drown out any other sympathies for his homeland.

And so it seems now, that the BIOVOLT training wasn't very wholly effective on Ian either. _I know that we're supposed to be faithful to BIOVOLT…and I will be…but I still think that it would do incredible damage for Tala for something like that to be done to him…_

He shook his head. _What am I thinking? What is happening to me? BIOVOLT has all my loyalty. It's only unavoidable that I begin to think this way as Tala is our leader and leaders influence their members. No matter—they'll put Tala to rights soon. And then we'll crush every single one of our opponents who stand in our way. May they be Arcan or not._

The Majestics were in a hotel that was obviously fancier than that in which the Bladebreakers, the Relic Bladers, White Tigers and All-Stars were. Jade found that out when she arrived there—at the Majestics' penthouse.

"We're back!" said Enrique cheerfully as the elevator opened to receive them into the penthouse.

"Welcome to our penthouse, Miss Star," said Oliver grandly, and motioned for her to sit down at one fluffy and oversized pouf. Jade, who seemed surprisingly used to grandeur such as this, sat down, and Johnny walked into the room, wrapped in a coat.

"You guys are back I see," he remarked gruffly. He spotted Jade and said, "Oh is that her?"

"That's right," said Enrique. "This is Jade. Jade, this Johnny. He's another member of our team."

"Pleased to meet you," said Jade, smiling as she shook hands with him. Johnny said, after taking a good look at her, "You seem like a pretty normal girl. Makes me wonder how you'd gotten with Robert."

"I heard that," said the German blader, sounding only slightly stuffy, as he walked into the room as well. He blew his nose on a handkerchief and said, "I'm not going to tolerate remarks like that to her, Johnny—watch your tongue around the lady."

"All right," said Johnny, grinning.

Jade stood up and immediately ran over to him to give him a big hug. "Hello, Robert—I haven't seen you in such a while! I've missed your company."

"Jade, please," said Robert, peeling himself away uncomfortably, "Mind you, I _am_ glad to see you but I must say that not only will you catch my cold—I also don't appreciate you doing this in front of my teammates."

"Sorry," said Jade, pulled away quickly, but still smiling.

"It's all right, Robert," grinned Oliver. "It's kind of nice to see a soft side of you."

"Shush," Robert immediately said. He put an arm around Jade and said, "Now you come with me—I don't wish to be in this room when we talk to each other because of these three's ill-mannered behavior…"

"Touchy…" Johnny smirked.

"Come now, Robert—don't be like that," said Oliver as he sat down, sipping his tea. "We'll be still if you allow us to meet this lady."

Robert sniffed, allowing himself to be persuaded. "You'd better." And he ended with an eruption of a sneeze.

Jade stared at him. "Robert, what _has_ happened to you?"

"Ah, he already hadn't been feeling to well in Germany—and upon arriving in Russia he had a nasty trick of being out in that frigid Russian snow and climate all day…" said Enrique and Robert sneezed again. "See there now, what it brought him."

Jade rapped his knuckles. "See now, what you get! I suppose you were relentlessly beyblading again."

"But how funny you do look, Robert—I'm not used to seeing you like that," chortled Johnny.

Robert glared at him and replied to Jade, "You reprimand me as if you haven't been doing something of the same as well!"

"At least I'm not having the beginnings of a cold when I did," Jade answered reproachfully. "Oh but this'll serve as a lesson for you too…"

At this, Robert took a good look at her and noticed her only slightly dismal condition. He put it aside a moment and asked, "And your team? I'll still admit that I was startled when they sent you guys from Arcanis."

"Doing quite well, actually," said Jade, looking up at him. "Mike has been one great captain the whole way, and we're progressing quite nicely."

"I never thought that they'd send an Arcan team," murmured Oliver. "I've heard of your land…but I've never actually been there…"

"It is only very recently that Arcanis had been fully opening up to foreigners," said Jade.

Johnny put down his coffee. "Robert told us all about your kind's skills. We were almost—mind you, I said _almost—_glad that they didn't send a team."

"You're quite formidable, but we look forward greatly to seeing you in battle," said Enrique. "As well as we look forward to battling other teams like the All-Stars, White Tigers and the Bladebreakers, of course."

"As do we," said Jade, smiling rather faintly.

And now, Robert could not find it within himself any longer to keep back his observation. "Jade," he said rather somberly, "I've noticed how dismal you seem. Is there anything the matter?"

Jade's face only slightly whitened as she didn't expect him to notice. And, thinking fast, "I was simply…musing over how difficult a task it would be…to try and take on the Demolition Boys if we _do_ face off with them… They are undeniably powerful in a way different to our skills."

"That, I agree on," said Johnny. "Their power _is_ fearsome…but I'm sure that they aren't invincible."

Jade nodded, and for a moment, grave silence filtered in the room. Robert glanced at the Arcan female and said, "I have been thinking…just to keep a closer eye on everything going on…that we should stay in a room in your hotel. There is no need for being so damn extravagant when it won't matter a jot to the tournament."

The other Majestics stared at him, rather stunned. "Boy, he _is_ sick," said Enrique.

"Cool it," snapped Robert. He turned to Jade. "I'm afraid that I'm rather concerned about everything that is going on here and things are starting look tense at the approach of the tournament. I'd like to keep an eye on things."

"You still haven't lost your inviolable protectiveness, haven't you?" Jade smiled. "But if you want to, you certainly can remain in the hotel. Do your teammates object?"

Oliver burst into laughter and said, "Actually, we'd proposed for that earlier—it was _he_ who didn't want to. Quite a turn of tide, I'd say."

"And quite a turn it is at an odd moon, to be exact," laughed Enrique. "What do you think, Robert?"

"Hush," said Robert, standing up, and Jade rose with him. The Majestics all went down to the lobby with the two of them, as Jade was going to return to her hotel. 

At the grounds of the hotel, Robert took Jade a little off from his friends and said to her in a low tone, "Now you listen—if there's anything wrong, you come to me at once, all right? I'll put it to rights for you."

"Why, Robert, what makes you say that there's something wrong?" asked Jade.

"Now, I don't exactly believe that you were merely 'musing over' things. I think something's wrong. But if you're not ready to tell me, that's all right—that means that it isn't too big a problem yet. And I'm just saying that the _instant_—the very instant, you hear?—that something off happens and it bothers you, you come to me."

"Ah, now I see why you're transferring to our hotel…"

"Jade!"

"Oh…of course. I certainly will."

"The very instant something happens?"

"The identical minute. I promise."

Robert finally smiled and hugged her a moment. "I'll see you soon."

Jade nodded and then hurried down the walk of the hotel as the Majestics came up behind Robert. Jade stopped and turned to wave at them, and they all waved back a goodbye. As Jade waved at them, she thought, _Not yet, Robert…I can't tell you just yet… Not until I've sorted it out myself…_

And she turned and ran off. Oliver smiled as she went. "Interesting character, that cousin of yours, eh, Robert?"

"Hm, and my only one," replied Robert. "That's why I treat her as a younger sister of a sort." He looked at Enrique and Oliver. "Well?"

"Oh, we _did_ see something—we kept on the lookout of anything off like you said," said Enrique. "When we were walking off with her, I spotted Ray of the Bladebreakers staring rather oddly at her—he was by himself. But that's pretty much it."

"Ray, huh?" Robert said, frowning with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well that settles it. You all get to packing—we're going there."

****

Mike: Jade, I've one thing to say to your cousin—_over the top._

****

Jade: Don't talk about my 'brother' that way.

****

Alexia: Heh. Good luck, Ray. (bolts off as Jade fires an arrow at her)

****

Patrick: (rolling his eyes) While these juveniles go about their duties, review, everybody! Tell us what you think!!


	8. Chapter Eight The Tournament Casts Off

Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade—in case you wanted to know.

****

Mike: Man…I can't stop pacing around…the tournament's about to start!

****

Patrick: Cool it, Fearless Leader… Shouldn't be too tough.

****

Alexia: (raising an eyebrow) That would depend on your definition of 'tough'.

****

Jade: Guys, will you _pipe down?!_ I can't concentrate! It's about to begin!

Everyone else: We know!!

Jade: (rolling her eyes as she looked at the readers) Sorry. Pre-tournament jitters. Well, here's the next chapter. Read and Review, everybody!!

****

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Tournament Casts Off

Crickets were chirping in the night, and everything, even the wind, was still. A blazing moon shone down from the night sky, and stars twinkled under a midnight blue sky. Every building seemed dark, and the hotel was also in the same state. However, faint lights glowed in windows apart from one another.

Within one window, Kenny was typing away furiously in his laptop, doing scans and scopes on how they could possibly strengthen the power of their beyblades. He was surrounded by half-built and half-taken apart beyblades of his teammates that they'd given him to work on. He wiped away the sweat on the back of his forehead and kept working.

Dizzi yawned and said, "Chief, please—call it a night!"

"We can't, Dizzi—we have so little time! And the tournament is tomorrow!"

"Oh…all right…"

Unnoticed by Kenny, Tyson was tossing around in his bed, unable to sleep. _I just have to figure out a way… I have to figure out how I'm possibly going to beat Patrick… But his beyblade seems impervious to anything… And he's too heavy to blow away… What should I do?_

From the next bed, Max was biting his nails. _What if I totally flunk out on the tournament? I'd hate to be the reason why my friends will lose… I know that I might be the weakest beyblader in our group right now…but that doesn't mean that I have to give in… Man, of all the times to have the jitters! _

From another window, Emily yawned with Judy next to her, and they both were staring at a large computer screen. Judy looked at her and said, "If you're tired, Emily, you can go to bed now. I'll keep working here."

"No, Judy—I want to help," said Emily. "I want to make these blades as good as they possibly can be." And she looked to the still broken Trygle lying nearby. 

"But I'm not very sure if we can do much more about this," she added. "We've sent for all the strongest materials and most effective utensils…and I think we may have done enough for the night."

"Well…we still have to rebuild all our beyblades," said Judy. "We'd better get to working on them with the tournament tomorrow and everything."

Judy nodded, and Emily picked up the broken Trygle, and immediately began to work on it with a laser beam nearby in their portable laboratory.

In yet another room, instead of the electric light that glowed in the other two, firelight was lit. The White Tigers were all awake, and sitting in a circle in the middle of the carpet. Each one had their beyblade in front of them, and they were meditating, enhancing their powers to prepare for the oncoming tournament.

As they did, however, Lee opened his eyes. "Mariah, you're not concentrating."

Mariah looked up. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"You have to focus your energy to make yourself more powerful," said Lee. "You're distracted."

"Yeah, Mariah," said Kevin. "You haven't been quite yourself."

Mariah bit her lip. "I…well, I just had some things on my mind, that's all."

__

This is all about Ray again, Lee thought. _Not like it's bothering me… It's just that Mariah can't concentrate like this. _"Don't worry about things, Mariah. I'm sure that everything will clear once we win the tournament and we show them how good we all really are."

"Yeah," said Mariah, nodding, and closed her eyes, concentrating. The rebuilt Galix, now upgraded, glowed a slight pink in its bit piece, as if Galix was responding to the beyblader who owned it.

Lee smiled to himself and nodded, and they all went back to concentrating. Then a large grumble sounded in the room. They all sweatdropped. "Gary!" they chorused.

"But I'm hungry…" Gary moaned. "Can we have a midnight snack first?"

The others all sighed.

In another room, Johnny slept soundly—that is, until Robert jerked the covers from under him and he toppled off the bed with a muffled yell.

"What the—hey, what's the big idea?!" Johnny exclaimed, his head popping up from the carpet.

"Get up," said Robert. "We're all working on our beyblades and you had just better do the same because we're not going to do it for you."

"Isn't there any other way to wake me up?" Johnny grumbled.

"We've been trying," said Oliver, looking up from the table where he was tinkering with Unicolyon. "But when you wouldn't wake up, Robert had to do that."

"Now get up and work on your Salamalyon," said Enrique. "All those special parts that we've sent for have arrived."

Johnny groaned and plodded over to the table, took out Salamalyon, and began working on it like his companions were on their own beyblades.

In another room as well, Zeus was typing away on his computer, the bluish light of the computer lighting up his face. After a few moments, he stopped and said, "Can't sleep, Mike?"

Mike was sitting up on his bed. "You always know, don't you?"

"I'm supposed to," said Zeus calmly. "I _was_ chosen because I knew you all very well."

Mike stood up and touched Archonwolf which was at one end of the row of beyblades next to Zeus. And then he asked, "I was just thinking…of how we all managed to into this glorified mess of a tournament."

"Easy enough—you all had done so well, that they wanted you to," said Zeus. "But not is not the time for that. You know you need to rest."

"I haven't even worn myself out," said Mike, blinking.

"I wasn't talking to you."

They both turned around, and there was a sigh from one of the beds, and Jade sat up, followed by Alexia. "I can't sleep," said Jade. "I'm just a little…wound up."

"Same here," murmured Alexia. "I have things on my mind."

"You shouldn't," said Zeus. "If you're distracted, you won't be able to perform properly in your matches."

"I can't help it," said Alexia. "I can't stop thinking about Tala and what's happened to him… He was just so different from what I remember him to be."

Mike stood up and sat next to her, patting her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. If we make it well in the tournament, we'll be able to see him and we'd be able to straighten him out… somehow. BIOVOLT is pretty serious on keeping him, though…"

Alexia nodded slowly. "But still…I'm not going to give up on him. I just can't—I want him back."

"We all do," said Mike, nodding.

Jade smiled faintly at them. _I know how they feel…but I guess I'm still worried because I've upset Ray… He's such a nice person and he was a good friend in the short time I've known him. I didn't want to upset him…but now I've done it…_

She shook her head. _No. I'm not going to think about that. I'm going to make myself focus on this tournament and this alone. We have to win…there's just so much at stake!_

Zeus then said, "Go to bed, you all. Look at Patrick. He's sleeping soundly. He'll wake up the best this morning, and I bet that he'll be able to show you all up because he's concentrated and serious and well prepared."

"Oh no way," snickered Mike. "Come on, you guys. Let's go back to bed. Hey Zeus—"

"I'll catch up. I'm still upgrading your blades."

"Again?!"

"They still need a lot of work…"

The others groaned. And then they all went to bed.

From outside in the grounds, four shadows crept into the mist, all wearing billowing coats of dark khaki. They moved in silence, like ghosts on the haunt. They were the Dark Bladers, and unbeknownst to all, they'd arrived in Russia to gatecrash the tournament.

And from even beyond the hotel, in an abbey a way off from it, where there should have been stillness, there were bursts and sounds of electric charges, and lights flashing around at every buzz and bolt. It was quite obvious that BIOVOLT was also hard at work. 

Boris was overseeing everything that was going on with a rather spectral look and a sneering grin. Tala, Ian, Bryan and Spencer stood behind him, watching the work being done to their beyblades as sparks and lights flew all around the BIOVOLT laboratories.

And this was how the night before the tournament was spent, as everyone did their utmost to achieve their full strength and ability for the most important tournament in the year.

When the Russian sun rose, casting a rosy glow over the horizon and the clouds, there was an almost tangible layer of anticipation and excitement all over Moscow, like the blanket of pure white snow on the ground. The day has arrived—and it was time for the very much-awaited Russian Tournament. As everyone stirred themselves to life, the site where the tournament was going to be held, a former Russian palace, waited with patience for them to arrive.

Kenny slowly stirred, his head propped on his arms. Something was making a sound in the still Russian morning in the grounds. It was the sound of something hitting a stone pavement and going like crazy. He got up, feeling rather tired, and as he did, the rest of the Bladebreakers had awakened at the sound as well.

Kenny blinked. _That sound…_ he turned to the beyblades next to him. All were there—save for one. The green Draciel was missing, and in its place a note, saying: 'Thanks, Chief!'

Kenny stood up and went to the window, and Tyson crowded up next to him, looking curious. Down in the grounds, Draciel hit the pavement and ran up and down like crazy. Max was there, standing over it, breathing hard and gripping his launched and ripcord.

"Max!!" the Bladebreakers all yelled.

Max stopped, surprised, and looked up to see them with their heads poking out of windows. He grinned and waved, "Hi, guys!!"

The Bladebreakers, stunned, all grabbed their beyblades and got dressed in a span of twenty-five seconds and they all bolted down and headed to the grounds, running all over each other to see what was going on.

As they broke out into the grounds, they saw Max, standing fifty paces from them, smiling as he held Draciel, and he looked like he'd been very awake for a long time. But before they could run to him, however, Kai stopped them saying, "Wait. Look at the pavement."

They all looked down, and their jaws dropped. The pavement was covered with beyblade scratch-marks, leading all the way up to where Max was, holding Draciel. Max smiled. "Sorry. Did I get too noisy for you guys?"

"Max, how long have you been awake?" Tyson asked.

"Oh…since…five this morning, I guess," said Max, checking his watch. "That's in Russian time, of course. I decided to practice a bit."

"A bit?!" they asked.

Ray grinned and said, "Max, I'm really impressed—look at all this!" He motioned to the scratch marks. "How'd you do all this?"

Max held up Draciel and grinned. "Chief upgraded all our blades. And when I woke up this morning, I couldn't help but try it out! I just kept practicing until I really got the hang of things… I was having the jitters and this calmed me. I'm going to do all I can so that I won't let you guys down."

"Come on, Max, you haven't let us down," said Tyson, smiling at him.

"Well, I'm just safeguarding against that," Max replied. "Have you noticed how upgraded our beyblades have all gone?"

They all looked down at the beyblades in their hands and for the first time noticed changes in them. They all seemed much heavier now, and they were quite solid in comparison to before. 

Kenny smiled wanly. "Well, I worked all night for those beyblades—I've upgraded them all and changed their compositions. Not only will they be strong enough to go against the Relic Bladers' without being weakened on impact, by they'll also have enough power to take them down with enough strategy!"

"Well done, Chief!" Ray said, looking at his Driger.

"Yeah," said Kenny, still smiling wanly. "Now if you guys don't mind, I'd like to rest…it's been a _really_ long night…" And he promptly fell down, fast asleep.

Max and Tyson flew out to help him, and Ray said, "Well…good job, Chief. He deserves a rest after this."

Kai looked at his own beyblade. "Yeah. Nice work. Well you'd all like to know that it's eight-thirty now. We better get to the tournament."

"Hey! Little man!"

Tyson winced at the highly vocal tone of his grandfather who seemed like he was desperately trying to be 'cool' and thinks he's pretty good at it. Not a bad try, actually, but it was a whole other case for Tyson…

"Hey, yo, my homies!" said Tyson grandfather, coming over with a smiling Mr. Dickinson and Tyson's father. "What's up, dudes? Let's all roll so you guys won't miss the awesome tournament!"

"Grandpa…can you _please_ talk normally?" Tyson begged. "Can you _please_ be a normal grandpa?"

"What'choo talkin' 'bout, li'l dude?" asked his grandfather, prancing around in his best suit and tie. "It doesn't hurt to show if you're cool—now let's go! You've got a tournament to win over, eh?"

And he strolled forward ceremoniously, heading for the Bladebreakers' bus, which was already waiting. Mr. Dickinson and Tyson's father just laughed as Tyson slapped a hand over his forehead and ceremoniously followed after him, with the rest of the Bladebreakers hopping in behind—the sleeping Kenny in tow who Kenny's father had on his back.

The group piled into the bus, and Tyson's grandpa immediately leapt into the driver's seat. "All right, then! I'm in the pilot's seat for today, so you all will get to the tournament quick."

"I think he's _really_ going to mean quick," said Ray, blinking. 

"Come on, dad, take it easy," said Tyson's father to the old man. "The Chief _is_ asleep…"

"Well, I'll go along in a leisurely pace if it suits you all," he replied as they drove off, and the Bladebreakers settled into their seats in relief. Tyson's grandfather was practically infamous for his terrible driving—with a license that expired forty years ago.

As they rode down the street in Russia, they peeked out the windows and saw a large contingent of people all heading for BIOVOLT stadium. They all were looking flushed and excited upon the oncoming first day of the tournament.

"Man…looks like everyone is coming…and it's just the eliminations!" said Ray.

"According to the people in charge, there's going to be one round each day," said Max. "They're having the Elimination Rounds today, and the Quarter Finals happen tomorrow, followed by the Semi-Finals and the Finals."

"Looks like we'll have work pretty much cut out for us," said Tyson.

Kai was ignoring all this, and he looked out his window. And then he said, "Ray, you're friends are here to see you."

"What?" Ray looked over that side of the bus, and they saw the White Tigers' bus going alongside them. When Ray's face appeared at the window, Mariah waved wildly at him.

Ray laughed and waved back, and soon Kevin and Gary joined in. As Ray waved back, Max asked, "Hey guys…who's driving that bus, you think?"

"I've no idea…" said Ray. "Wait a minute. Mariah…Kevin…Gary…but where's…"

As if figuring it out, Mariah grinned and pointed to the front of the bus. Ray's jaw dropped. "_Lee's driving?!_ Are they insane?!"

"No he's not, look!" said Tyson. As they glimpsed the front of the bus, they saw that Lee was sitting up front, but the person driving was someone they didn't recognize. But Ray obviously did.

"Oh, it's all right then," he breathed. "That's Chen. He's a trusted friend of the tribe and he used to look after us. I bet that they had Chen sent with them to keep an eye on them…"

As Ray sat down, Tyson gave a cry of excitement. "Look! There go the Relic Bladers! And the All-Stars! And the Majestics too!"

They looked ahead at where Tyson was pointing, and indeed, they saw buses of the other teams going ahead of them, all making a beeline for BIOVOLT stadium. "It looks like everyone plans to get to BIOVOLT stadium in a hurry," laughed Mr. Dickinson.

"Hey that's not fair!" Max laughed. "The Majestics are in a helicopter!"

"So are the Demolition Boys—look up there!" said Tyson. Heading the Majestics were the Demolition Boys, all right, also in a helicopter.

In front of them, the All-Stars were in a bus, but the Relic Bladers were piled into a Hummer, with Zeus driving like a man possessed. Patrick turned to look at them, grinned, and gave them a wave before they shot off. The All-Stars sped after them, so did the White Tigers, and then Tyson's grandfather said, "Well, then! If it's a race they want—a race they're going to get!"

"Grandpa, no!!" Tyson yelled, but they had shot off, and they were racing for BIOVOLT stadium.

People were already crowding to the entrance of the BIOVOLT stadium, anxious to glimpse the players. The Bladebreakers' bus pulled to a stop, and the Bladebreakers piled out, all looked pale and breathing hard.

"Man, we nearly went off the road!" Max exclaimed.

"Grandpa, don't do that again!" Tyson cried.

"Well it was a good race—we would've overtaken those darn All-Stars if we didn't nearly slip on that puddle in the road…" said his grandfather, and Tyson cried, "Don't remind me!!"

"It's amazing," said Tyson's father. "Chief didn't even stir. Boy, he must be _really_ tired…"

Kai, regaining composure, said, "We'd better get inside—and see the order of plays."

"This is a bad omen for the first day," Ray groaned as they all plodded to the direction of the stadium. They were received with a roar of cheers from the people gathered in front of the stadium. They were quite stunned.

"Wow, look at all these people!" said Max.

"They're cheering for us!" said Ray.

Tyson grinned. "Looks the people really like us, guys!" He waved wildly at them and yelled, "We're going to win!!"

And at this, the crowd cheered even louder, and the Bladebreakers were rather flushed at Tyson's overall outspokenness. Kai rolled his eyes and pushed Tyson forward, saying, "Keep going!"

Tyson was still waving wildly as the group ushered him into the stadium. Tyson gave one final wave before his friends grabbed him and pulled into the stadium and the doors shut behind him. Finally inside the stadium, they all walked across the front hall and heard a lot of noise inside—as there were already a lot of people inside.

From one hall, they saw a large group of bladers heading for inside the main stadium already. Mr. Dickinson said, "Go on, boys. The tournament won't start just yet—all bladers are to assemble there upon arrival. We'll be watching from the bleachers for the opening ceremonies."

"Yeah—Chief needs sleep," said Tyson's father, smiling.

Tyson nodded. "All right, then. Let's go, guys! I'm so psyched up on being in the Russian tournament!"

"Well, well…look at what we have here."

Surprised, they all turned around. Just as Mr. Dickinson, Tyson's grandfather and father had left, the Demolition Boys materialized behind them.

"I thought it was a good idea to hang around awhile and see what the masses would bring in," said Ian, smirking.

Tala said nothing for a moment and then he just frowned as he said, "You're not going to win this tournament—we will. And we'll crush you along the way."

"Dream on," snapped Kai, feeling unusually agitated at the sight of Tala right now.

"You really think you have a chance against us?" snorted Spencer. "You'll pay dearly, you know, for underestimating us."

"Well we're ready for you," said Ray.

"Yeah," said Max. "We're not going down without a fight."

"If you say so, then," Ian chortled.

A figure suddenly came up from behind the Demolition Boys. "That's enough teasing the…plebeians, boys," said the baritone that belonged to no one else other than Boris.

"Boris…" snarled Kai.

Tyson said, "We'll beat you—mark my words, we'll beat you! You and BIOVOLT will _never_ succeed in your plans!" He whirled around and said, "Come on, guys—let's go. I can't stand breathing the same air as these creeps."

The rest of the Bladebreakers followed suit, and Kai lingered only for the briefest instant to glare rather malevolently at Tala before walking off with the rest of his teammates. 

The group walked down the hall, and Tyson said, "Man, the nerve of those guys…"

"Yeah…they really underestimate us," said Ray.

"But they certainly have a right to," said Kai suddenly and they all looked at him. He raised an eyebrow at them and said, "It's true. They're more powerful than we are and they know it. And if I know them, they're bound to have a trump card waiting to be played somewhere…"

"But I'm sure that we'll be able to get experience soon," said Max, rising up to give them a little ray of hope. "That's why it's a good thing they have eliminations… Unless we face the Demolition Boys right out…"

"Come on, you guys, let's not think about that!" said Tyson. "We've all been working hard and Chief also worked hard for us. We can't let him down, and we can't let each other down. We're a team, right? And together, we'll beat them!"

"Right!" said Ray and Max, and Kai nodded.

At this, they broke out of the dim hallway and into the bright light of the center arena. There were three arenas in the building, but this one was right at the middle and was thereby where the opening was going to be held. A blaze of brilliant light met them, and they saw a crowd of other beybladers there already. From bleachers all around, a throng of people were there, cheering.

"Man, this is what you call a tournament," said Tyson, grinning from ear to ear. 

The group went over to the mess of beybladers, studying them. They were a very colorful bunch, coming from different countries, and they saw familiar faces in the crowd.

"Boy, everyone's here already!" said Max. "There're the Majestics over there—and the White Tigers."

"There are the All-Stars up front—I guess they wanted to see things in full view," said Ray.

"And the Relic Bladers too!" said Tyson. "There they are—next to the delegation from Canada."

Indeed they were. Mike glanced around and spotted them. "There are the Bladebreakers… the company's all here."

"The Demolition Boys stepped out for a moment, huh?" said Alexia, looking a little more unnerved than usual. "I wonder what the line-up's going to be for the elimination rounds…"

Jade turned around and saw Ray, who looked back at her. Jade looked at him for a moment before looking away. _Just…ignore him. That's the thing to it. Don't let it bother you. Because if you do, well, there goes the thing…_

Patrick smirked at Tyson, who puffed up in fury. "Man, he's really trying me! Well, I'm ready for him this time! The next time I'll see him, I'll show him what me and Dragoon can really do!"

Finally, the lights in the stadium started to go crazy. A spotlight shone down and hit up at the catwalk where DJ Jazzman—the everlasting referee for every single beyblading contest—was there, wearing a very Russian outfit and striking a dramatic pose.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, and beybladers alike!" he crowed into the microphone. "Welcome to the finals of the World Beyblading Championship—the Russian Tournament!!"

There was an earsplitting roar in the stadium, and DJ dramatically motioned to the bladers below. "People all around the world—you see before you the most talented beybladers in the world gathered here for the biggest tournament of the year! They will be competing in a tournament lasting several days! Each round of the tournament will take the span of one day—and today, we formally open the Elimination Rounds with a speech from our sponsor, the leader of BIOVOLT!!"

He motioned across him, and in a balcony with a majestic view of everything going on, Boris stepped from the shadow, and bowed amidst everyone's mild applause.

"Prepare to be bored," murmured Patrick, rolling his eyes.

"Don't we know it," said Mike, yawning.

"Hey Robert—here's a guy who'll be the only person in the world who can be more boring than you when making a speech," said Johnny, elbowing him, and Robert stepped on his foot as the other two snickered behind their hands.

As Boris droned on in his incredibly boring speech—at least, that was what most of the beybladers down there thought—Tyson yawned and said, "Is it over?"

"Not yet," Max replied. 

"Keep still, Tyson," said Ray. "You shouldn't be so restless."

"I can't help it—it's _boring_," said Tyson. "I mean, look a these guys and tell me that there's one person here who thinks that this is even remotely interesting."

"Robert seems to be paying attention."

"_He_ doesn't count."

And from the All-Stars side, Emily was whispering to Michael, "…so don't be too hasty on using your Trygle—it's still a little untested."

"I'll keep that in mind," nodded Michael. "Man, this speech is so long."

"Look—Steve's about to drop off," said Eddy, nudging him. "Hey, wake up, man, or the Russians'll see you."

"I'm still wondering why he has to make a speech," said Mariah from where she stood with the rest of the White Tigers. "Let's just get on with it."

"Take it easy," said Lee. "After this comes the hard battles. Think of this as a pre-resting moment."

And when Boris finally concluded his speech and resumed his seat, the respectful applause that was given to him was more of relief than grace. DJ smiled and struck a pose again and said, "And there you have it! And now, I shan't keep any of you waiting any longer—I know that all of you want to see this tournament go underway! So let's go!"

And everyone cheered again. DJ ran up to one end of the catwalk-like balcony for his benefit and motioned to a large screen inside the stadium that had just recently been installed. "Let's see how it all goes, shall we?"

And the screen shimmered and changed, and DJ said, "The top twelve teams all over the world and some of the most powerful, special teams as well are participating, bringing a total of fifteen top beyblading teams in the world! The tournament is split into two blocks—Blocks A and B—for the elimination rounds. For Block A, the teams competing here shall be…"

And as he did enumerate them, the names and symbols appeared and took a place on the screen and each group was spotlighted as they were named and their country of representation.

"They are: 

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The Afterburners_—Canada!_

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The Green Dazzlers—_Ireland!_

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The All-Stars—_USA!_

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The Conquistadors—_Spain!_

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The Blade Sparkers—_Columbia!_

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The Bladebreakers—_Japan!_

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The Orient Pearls—_Philippines!_

And **The Relic** **Bladers—**_Arcanis!_"

A screaming roar was met by the Block A teams, and the Bladebreakers noticed that some teams looked rather relieved that the Demolition Boys were not pitted in this block. The lights went out and went crazy again, as a new set of names and symbols appeared on the screen, and DJ began talking again.

"And not to be outdone, the teams for Block B are:

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The Snow Blazers—_Iceland!_

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The Olympian Blades—_Greece!_

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The Majestics—_European Union!_

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The Tribals—_African Union!_

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The Silver Spangles—_New Zealand!_

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The White Tigers—_China!_

And the hometown heroes, **The Demolition Boys**—_Russia!_"

An even louder roar of applause was met by the Block B teams due to the stating of the last name. Everyone seemed incredibly excited by the events.

Tala looked down at the set of beybladers below and spotted Alexia. _Well…I know that you and your teammates will make it far… but hopefully you'll make it far enough to face of with us…_

Alexia looked around and saw the Bladebreakers, talking animatedly with one another at the selection of teams for each block. Kai looked up and saw her, and Alexia quickly looked away. Kai frowned only slightly, but looked up once again at the referee who was dancing up and down the catwalk.

Tala, who'd seen all this, marked it.

DJ waited until it had all silenced and the lights all died down as, on the large screen, the two sets were waiting to be sorted out into the groups that were supposed to go against each other for the elimination rounds. The screen changed into a hierarchical chart. "And now—if all of you are ready, let's go and see who will go against who in Block A!"

He snapped his fingers, and the names began flashing in the name blocks of the chart. The groups in the Block A teams watched anxiously as it went.

"Man…who'll it be?" murmured Max.

"Relic Bladers, Relic Bladers…" Tyson chanted.

"Come on, Tyson—I don't think so!" said Ray.

"It can happen!" he argued.

"You're not ready," said Kai. "Our best shot is to meet them in a latter round."

Emily was biting her nails, watching anxiously, as this tournament weighed pretty heavily on things and Steve said, "Don't worry—whoever it is, we'll take 'em."

Mike watched the screen with utter calmness, as his teammates, determined to keep themselves focused for the battles to come. Within the block the same as the Bladebreakers, he knew that they might be treading into dangerous ground.

Finally, in a sudden spectacular flash, the names stilled. There was an uproar as the names were displayed.

"And look at what we have here!" said DJ. "Quite a well-made mix!"

And indeed, for most of them it seemed to be well made. The screen had revealed an interesting selection. For the Block AElimination Rounds—Bladebreakers VS Conquistadors; Green Dazzlers VS Orient Pearls; All-Stars VS Afterburners; Relic Bladers VS Blade Sparkers.

"All right!" said Max. "That was a good mix they've done!"

"Right," said Kai. "We'll face the Conquistadors on the eliminations."

"The All-Stars have to take on the Afterburners today," said Tyson.

Ray saw the screen and said, "The Relic Bladers have to take on the Blade Sparkers too. They look pretty calm."

Mike looked to his group. "All right, guys. We're facing the Colombian Blade Sparkers. If we win against them, we'll take on whoever wins between the All-Stars and the Afterburners."

"Let's take this a step at a time," said Zeus. "We'll deal with the Blade Sparkers first. Then we'll worry about the Quarter Finals**."**

"Right," they nodded.

DJ motioned to the screen again. "All right—let's go again! This time, for the teams on Block B!"

The screen began flashing rapidly again, and everyone watched in anticipation. The White Tigers watched anxiously, as with the rest of the people at Block B as they knew that they would be in for an extremely difficult time if they were pitted against the Demolition Boys.

As this went on, Oliver murmured, "I just noticed something. There's an odd number of teams in Block B. That means that one team will be left over and automatically goes into Quarter Finals."

"Must be one lucky team, then," said Enrique.

Finally, the screen flashed in a brilliant spectacle again, and the names all stilled. There was another uproar, as a mix was drawn for the second time.

"Look!" exclaimed Mariah. "The Demolition Boys are the team with no opponent—that means they automatically go into the Quarter Finals!"

And indeed, this was true. The Demolition Boys' name and symbol were on the solo block in the top of the ranks that automatically lined up to the Quarter Finals of the tournament. As for the rest of the contenders in the Block BElimination Rounds, they were: Silver Spangles VS Olympian Blades; Majestics VS Tribals; White Tigers VS Snow Blazers.

"I should've known," said Tyson.

Robert looked at his groupmates. "Looks like we're not taking on anyone we're familiar with just yet. We're tackling the Tribals."

"And if we win, whoever wins the battle between the White Tigers and Snow Blazers are our opponents," said Johnny.

"That's right," nodded Robert. He took a glanced at the Block Aside of the area and looked to his cousin, standing not too far, talking to Alexia. A slight movement caught his eye, and he saw that Ray was glancing at her. He immediately frowned.

"What's the matter, Robert?" asked Oliver. "You have a terrible look on your face. Are you still sick?"

"No," replied Robert. "I'm quite fine, thank you. Now let's get back to our job at hand."

DJ then said, "All right, teams—you are to separate between the two arenas here in the BIOVOLT stadium! The Elimination Rounds will take place at the same time, and when you get to your respective area, you will be informed which team goes first!"

There was another roar of applause and cheers, but before any of the bladers can move an inch, the doors to the arena blew open in a bang, and a menacing blast of cold wind burst into the area.

"What the—" Tyson began.

They all looked up as four shadows crept into the room, and from the shadows materialized four figures. The Bladebreakers gasped. "The Dark Bladers!"

"What are _they_ doing here?" Patrick demanded, taking two steps forward, but Mike pulled him back.

Cenotaph eyed the crowd around and Sanquinex smirked eerily—exposing vampire fangs—and said, "Sorry if we're late. We had meant to drop by sooner."

Everyone was too stunned to react. Cenotaph then raised a mummified hand and pointed up to the elevated area where the Demolition Boys were. "You."

Bryan merely raised an eyebrow, and Cenotaph said, "We know all about you, and we know of your evil plans. We will not allow you to so easily waltz through this tournament."

"That's right," boomed Zomb. "We will be the ones to go against you for the Elimination Rounds."

There was murmuring up and down the arena, and everyone was rather appalled at this extremely unusual pronouncement. Tala looked to Boris, who merely nodded the slightest inch. Tala turned to them.

"We do not treat gatecrashers well," he said. "But to give you the most suitable punishment, we shall accept this pitiful challenge at a battle in the Elimination Rounds and will quite effectively destroy you."

"I don't believe it!" DJ howled. "This is unprecedented! Looks like there's going to be one awesome match for Block B to dish up for today's Elimination Rounds—The Demolition Boys VS The Dark Bladers!"

There was instant uproar. Alexia stared, stunned. "Tala…"

Patrick: Nothing against ol' Tala and everything…but am I the only one who notices that he's kind of…freakish?

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Mike: Shut up, Pat—this is serious.

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Jade: Yeah… What could they be planning? Going against the Dark Bladers like that?

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Alexia: (shaking her head) This looks bad…

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Jade: (to the readers) Well, that's the chapter. Please review!!


	9. Chapter Nine The Stealing

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Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

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Jade: Wow! This is so cool! People are actually reviewing us, you guys! Thank you so much for everyone who reviewed!

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Alexia: Yeah, we've been getting so few reviews… but that's okay—hopefully we'll get more soon, right?

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Patrick: (nudging Mike) What's up with _you_, though, Fearless Leader? Why're you so quiet?

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Mike: (shaking his head) I'm just getting a bad vibe, that's all… I don't like what the Demolition Boys are doing…

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Patrick: Who_ does_ like what they're doing to begin with?

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Jade: Apparently, Boris and Voltaire do—but enough chat. Here comes the next chapter.

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CHAPTER NINE

The Stealing

The two of the three arenas in the area were soon filled with spectators and beybladers. In the second arena, the West Arena, more people went to this one, as this was where the battle between the Demolition Boys and their very odd opponents were.

"Come on, Kai—I want to see what's going to happen!" said Tyson.

"No," replied Kai from where they were in the East Arena. "We still have to find out which teams will go to battle first. And until we do, no one's going anywhere."

"But they've made the Demolition Boys go first and they're starting now!" said Max, hearing the tumult from the other arena.

"Guys, Kai has a point—we have to stay here or we won't know when it's going to be our turn to battle!" said Ray.

That settled the matter, and the Bladebreakers were forced to remain still. From behind them, Mike came up and said, "Maybe you should send for one of your own to go—and call him back when you know you're going to be playing."

They turned around and saw him. He was looking oddly serious. Tyson asked, "What're you doing here, Mike? Shouldn't you be with your team?"

"They're all right—but I suggest you go see what is happening to the Dark Bladers," said Mike, shifting uncomfortably. 

"What's wrong?" asked Max. "You look a little distracted."

"I am," said Mike, turning to the side of the West, and said, "I just have a really bad feeling with those Russians… There is no way that the Dark Bladers will win… Not when I can sense such overwhelming energy from there…"

Kai glanced at him, and then said, "If Kenny were here, we'd send him… Ray, you go. Check it out for a few moments, then come back."

Ray nodded. "Right."

As Ray took off like a shot, Kai turned to Mike. "Why are you telling this to us?"

Mike glanced at him by the corner of his eyes and said, "We're all on the same boat here: We're going to be caged canaries in this stadium—because this is where the Demolition Boys are in full power. And unless we help those we know, _none_ of us will make it through against that kind of power and ruthlessness."

"Good point," Tyson murmured, watching as Ray vanished up the steps and vanished into the doors.

Mike let out his breath. "Man…I really have a bad feeling about this… I know that Boris just sent his boys out there with a trump card. Just what, I have no idea."

And he walked off and headed into the mess of other bladers just as DJ took the stand and the screen flashed and began showing the order of matches between teams. As Mike walked off and this was happening, Max said, "Mike is kind of weird, but he's a nice guy."

"Yeah," said Tyson. "He might've given us good warning by having us send just one to see the match in Block B."

Kai just shrugged and looked up at the screen. "Looks like the All-Stars and the Afterburners are up first. We're tackling the Conquistadors after the Relic Bladers take on the Blade Sparkers."

"Well, looks like Ray will have time to check things out," said Max. "Unless he wants to see how the All-Stars do. I heard that a major upgrading session went on their room."

"Hopefully he'll be back soon," said Tyson. "I want to see this as much as you do, Max!"

The cheering had erupted so loudly that Ray was nearly downcast—that meant that it was almost over. But he ran as fast as he could to see what was going on. 

He burst into the Block B arena's top bleacher, and, looking over the railing, he saw a shocking sight. Sanquinex was on his knees in defeat and crying out horribly. His beyblade was still within the plain arena, and Spencer was standing over it, holding his own beyblade—he'd been victorious.

Ray quickly looked up at the screen and was stunned. The match was two out of three—and the Demolition Boys had won twice already in such short period of time. Ian had defeated Lupenex, and he saw that Dark Blader on the bench, holding the flint-like remains of his own beyblade in his hands.

__

Whoa… he thought. _This is amazing…_

The was a gasp from next to him, and he looked up. Standing about ten paces from him and with one hand gripping the rail and another hand on her mouth—was Jade. She was the one that Mike sent to check things out. She was not looking at him, but was looking at the on-goings below.

Ray followed suit, and went pale. He understood the reason why Spencer was holding out his beyblade over Sanquinex's. His own beyblade was actually _stealing_ Sanquinex's vampire bit beast. There was a blast of darkness and magenta from the demolished vampire blade, and this light streaked like a lightning bolt into Spencer's own.

Spencer raised his beyblade into the air in triumph, and the stands exploded into cheers and some gasps. Ray was appalled. "He…he stole his bit beast… How—How is that possible?!"

"Ian did the same thing…to Lupenex's relic…" he heard Jade murmur from where she was. She was talking to herself, but there was unmistakable dread in her voice.

Ray looked back at the fray, and he saw that the Demolition Boys were the unmistakable winners. The group stood over where the Dark Bladers went over Sanquinex.

Cenotaph looked extremely agitated. "You…how could you all be so cruel?!"

Tala smirked. "Because we can. We told you that we do not treat gatecrashers favorably."

"What made you think that you could stop us to begin with?" Ian laughed.

Zomb's fist clenched at this as they pulled the tormented Sanquinex to his feet. "You…mark our words—your barricade from the success of your evils plans does not fall on our defeat!"

"There will be more going against you…" Lupenex snarled.

"Let them try," Tala muttered, and they all turned and walked off.

From down below, the White Tigers were stunned. "He…I can't believe they just did that!" said Kevin, his jaw hanging. "How could anyone steal a bit beast?"

Lee was obviously agitated. He looked up at the screen. The Demolition Boys had won and advanced to the Quarter-Finals. But if the White Tigers work hard enough, they'll meet them at the Semi-Finals. 

"We have to stop them!" said Kevin. "They'll just take all their opponents' bit beasts as they go along!"

"We can't let that happen!" said Lee. "We'll stop them. Right Mariah?" He stopped and turned. "Mariah?" 

Kevin whirled around. "Mariah? Hey, where did she go?"

As the White Tigers were having this little predicament, the Majestics were also beside themselves with shock. Johnny, sitting on the bleachers, slammed his fist on the divider. "What a bunch of a—"

"Hold your tongue!" Olive exclaimed. "Swearing won't do any good and won't be good form for you. We're stunned too, you know!"

"The Russians are getting worse by the minute!" said Enrique. "Not only did they take the Dark Bladers' bit beats—they act as if they don't care!!"

"At least when _we _defeated those Dark Bladers, we didn't quite do anything like _that!_" said Oliver. "Well…they did end up as half-dead creatures of the underworld, but that wasn't _our_ fault, was it? Oh Robert, this is terrible! What should we—Robert?" He looked around, and the German champion was nowhere to be found.

Johnny clucked his tongue in impatience. "Robert cleared off awhile ago. But man, I am _so_ determined to _crush_ these Demolition Boys!"

"No chance of that," said Enrique. "Until we beat who wins between the Snow Blazers and the White Tigers, we won't get to them. We won't even get to _them_ unless we beat the Tribals first!"

"Quit worrying—we can do this," snapped Johnny.

From up above in the top flight of the bleachers, Ray looked over to Jade again. She was backing off from the rail in horror, like what she'd just seen was the most horrible thing in the world for her. Ray was debating whether he should go to her or not, but he stopped, as Robert materialized.

"Jade!" Robert called out.

Jade turned to look at him. She looked a good deal less stunned and she ran to him. "Robert!" she exclaimed. She hurried to him, and she held his arms. "Robert—did you—did you see that?! He…he took a relic…"

"I know, I know," said Robert, putting his arms around her, trying to console her. "Take it easy. Don't worry—we'll get them for that."

He looked up and saw Ray. He frowned as he saw Ray staring at Jade and was quite surprised at her reaction. "Ray," Robert muttered.

Jade looked up and turned, and she saw him for the first time. She was stunned and she stared at him. He stared back at her for a moment, but then Mariah materialized behind him and suddenly grabbed his shoulders. "Ray!" she exclaimed.

Ray, surprised, turned around. "Mariah?"

"I'm so glad you're here!" said Mariah. "Have you come to see our match? We're going right before the Majestics take on the Tribals."

"Uh…yeah," said Ray, smiling at her, but losing that same smile as he looked back at Jade and Robert.

Jade watched a moment, and then she said to Robert, "Robert, I have to go—I…have to go tell my team…" she purposely let her voice trail away as Robert nodded and she ran into another hall. 

Ray took a few steps towards the hall but stopped as Mariah was still clinging on to him. Robert watched as she vanished, and then he turned to face Ray. Ray was a little surprised. Robert never looked so serious before. The German strode over to the two and said, "Ray, I want to speak to you for a moment."

"But I'm with him!" said Mariah.

"For just a moment, all right?!" Robert snarled at Mariah so that she let go and backed off, sticking her tongue out at him as he turned and dragged Ray with him. 

"Robert, what is it?" asked Ray, confused and somewhat anxious.

He replied nothing for a moment, but he just stared at Ray. And then he said in a deep and yet nearly-threatening tone, "You leave her alone, Ray. I think you know who I'm talking about."

Ray blinked for a moment, and then his expression turned rather serious as he understood. "Why?"

"I don't want you coming near her," replied Robert in the same low, dangerous tone, pointing at him for effect. "Not the likes of you."

"I…don't know what you're talking about," said Ray, turning away.

Robert's gaze held steady. "I don't want you near her and I know you made her upset. So leave Jade alone or you're dealing with me."

Ray looked back at him with an equally serious gaze. But he was unable to say anything. Robert stolidly strode past him without another word, and Ray did not move until he'd gone. Ray clenched his fist.

__

So Robert had come to take matters to his own hands… he thought. _Why is he so defensive over Jade? Does he care for her too?_ _Wait a minute… What did I just say? 'Too'? Why do I even care that Robert's defensive? Oh, darn it—I can't understand…_

Mariah suddenly grabbed Ray's arm and said, "Come _on_, Ray, our match is up!"

"Oh…all—all right, Mariah…" said Ray as the pink-haired beyblader pulled him off.

Patrick sat bolt upright on his seat. "What?! Are you serious?!"

"Yes!" Jade said. "The Demolition Boys steal their opponents' relics when they beat them!"

"Oh god, that's terrible!" Alexia muttered.

Mike clenched his fist. "This is too much of an insult! How could they do such things? That's it—we're definitely going to have to go through this entire Block to face-off with them in the Finals. We have to make them pay for this!"

"Cool it, Mike," said Zeus, looking up from where he was on his laptop. "Getting agitated is not going to help you. You'll have to focus yourself for you to get through _this _block first before thinking of going over to face the _other_ block. Might I remind you that the Bladebreakers are in this block too?"

And so they were. Tyson was pacing around where they were. "Man, where's Ray?! I want to know what's happened over at the other block!"

"Yeah, Jade already returned to report," said Max. "And boy does she look upset. I wonder what happened over at the other block…"

Kai was frowning as he too noticed what Max had. _Boris… _he thought furiously, _what are you and the Demolition Boys up to now?!_

Alexia looked up and asked, "Jade…did you notice anything about Tala?"

Jade looked at her and hesitantly said, "I'm…I'm sorry, Alexia… but he seems kind of… kind of…"

"Kind of what?" asked Alexia anxiously.

"Well…let's just say that he's the captain of the _Demolition Boys_ and he's _really_ acting like one," replied Jade.

Alexia dropped her head into her hands. "Oh no… What have they done to him? I mean, I've seen him—he doesn't even _smile_ anymore! Not unless he's smirking at someone…"

"It's all right, Alexia," said Patrick. "We'll put that in our to-do list. Crush the opponents in this block, beat the _other_ block, and then get Tala back, knock sense into him, and then _go home_! Man, I'm really starting to get creeped out by this place…"

Kai looked away from the group and thought, _I bet that whatever happened with the Demolition Boys, it's not pretty, and Alexia's being terribly bothered because of Tala. Tala. Everytime I think of that guy I have the overwhelming urge to stomp him and his team to the ground!_

"Kai, geez—chill out!" said Max, staring at him. "Your face turned purple all of a sudden."

"Oh pipe down, Max—is Ray here yet?"

"Here he comes," said Tyson. "And terribly late, too. The All-Stars are just about to finish up these Afterburners!"

Ray came racing down the bleachers and hurrying to his team. The Bladebreakers all turned to him as he arrived. "Finally!" said Tyson. "What took you?"

"Sorry," replied Ray. "I waited to watch the White Tigers' match. I watched Mariah's battle and she beat one of the Icelander Snow Blazers."

"All right, fine," said Kai impatiently. "But what happened back there? Jade came pelting back here looking like a murder happened!"

Ray glanced at the Relic Bladers' group, and indeed, they all looked rather grim and serious. "Is that right?" he murmured. For a brief moment, his mind flashed back to what Robert had told him up in the bleachers. _Man, Robert really looked serious. I guess he doesn't really want me coming near her…_

"Hellooo…Ray, look here, please!" said Tyson, waving at him. "What happened, man?!"

Ray broke his trance and looked up. "Oh. Sorry. The Demolition Boys are up to no good. They've totally trashed the Dark Bladers—and they even stole their bit beasts!"

"All of them?!" asked Kai.

"Yes, all of them!" said Ray. "Even though Lupenex and Sanquinex were the only ones who battles, they stole all the bit beasts of the Dark Bladers using their beyblades. The White Tigers saw it all and they told me!"

"Man, that's terrible," said Tyson. 

Kai muttered under his breath. "I can't believe this. They're stealing bit beasts so they can gain more power! Every team who falls prey to them loses more than a match…"

"Did you know about this, Kai?" asked Max.

"No," replied Kai. "I didn't think they'd go this far. I've only heard rumors of it when I was in BIOVOLT."

Tyson gripped his beyblade. "That's just terrible…" he looked back to the Relic Bladers. "Guys, I know this is bad, but why do they look like a tragedy's happened?"

"That's because in Arcanis, bit beats or 'relics' are revered as sacred and it's an extremely horrible even if you lose one or it gets stolen from you!"

They turned around. "Chief!"

Kenny smiled at them as he plodded down the stairs and reached them, yawning and still looking a little bedraggled. "Hello. Sorry if I slept in on you…"

"That's all right," said Max. "Don't worry about it."

"What'd I miss?" asked Kenny.

"Oh not much—the Demolition Boys beat down the Dark Bladers—stealing their bit beasts along the way—and the All-Stars are just about to beat the Afterburners," said Tyson.

"They've upgraded, I see," said Kenny. "Look at those All-Stars' beyblades go! They certainly went through a lot of trouble on it yesterday!"

They watched as Michael delivered the final blow at the Canadian Afterburners' captain, Jackie, and his beyblade clattered still to the ground. 

"Game, set, and match! The All-Stars win!!" DJ crowed, and the arena burst into applause and cheers again. Michael waved graciously to everyone as he strolled back to the bench where his teammates were, while Jackie returned to his teammates, who patted him on the back and said that it was a good game.

AJ Topper, one of the commentators, said, "Man, those All-Stars are awesome! I've never seen them go like this before!"

"That's right, AJ," said Brad Best, the other commentator, "After mass practices yesterday, they've gone into a serious rebuilding!"

"I don't blame them, Brad, not after those killer displays of power given by the other teams!" said AJ.

Max turned back to Kenny and asked, "What were you saying about Arcanis, Chief?"

"Oh yeah," said Kenny. "Like I told you before, Arcanis is a land with many powerful bit beasts—or relics. They hold bit beats sacred—It's Arcan tradition. And now to have your bit beast forcefully stolen from you—right to your face, might I add—is something that for the Arcans, is just about as horrible as killing somebody!"

"So is _that_ why they're all looking like that…" Ray said, looking to the Relic Bladers again.

"Who're battling next?" asked Tyson.

Ray looked up at the screen and said, "It's the Arcan Relic Bladers VS the Colombian Blade Sparkers." As he said this, Patrick stepped forward and took a position on one side of the unrevealed bowl. He gripped his long imposing scythe with one hand.

From across him, the Colombians took position, with their first member, Diego. Obviously, Diego was very tense upon being faced off with these warriors from the unknown land and he gripped a beyblade that, oddly enough, shimmered in green.

Kenny blinked. "Huh? What's that green shimmer?" He began typing on his laptop again, and Max said, "All right, now take it easy, Chief—you've worn yourself out already."

"Don't worry, Max," said Kenny, yawning. "I'm still…I've still got to work hard…"

DJ, who still bursts into frenzies of a Russian dance once in a while, now trumpeted, "All right! Here it is, the second match of the Block A Elimination Rounds! The Relic Bladers of Arcanis versus the Blade Sparkers of Colombia! First up, Patrick of the Relic Bladers and Diego of the Blade Sparkers!"

There was a powerful tumult that met this, and DJ waved down, and the bowl began to reveal itself. "Hey, what do we have here?" said Brad Best. "Looks like BIOVOLT's normal bowl has gotten a little abnormal itself!"

Indeed, although the bowl had no obstacles whatsoever, it was jet back in color, solid metal, and sparkling with an odd shimmer. "There it is, ladies and gents!" said AJ Topper. "The BIOVOLT new-type normal bowl—the midnight diamond bowl! It's a bowl made of completely solid metal titanium and even has diamond dust! It's the sturdiest and strongest arena in the world!"

"Looks like they've gotten wind of the power that our beyblades have," Patrick remarked. "I don't think any ordinary stone can deal with us…"

Diego wavered, but remained calm as his teammates urged him on and told him to work hard and win.

Mike smiled to himself. "Ah, I'll bet anything that they've decided to make thing sturdier because they knew how our beyblades wreck things…"

"Partially your fault, isn't it?" said Zeus, pushing up his glasses. "You do wreak havoc with your blades…and that's not by accident."

Mike said nothing but kept grinning, as the girls got sweatdrops.

"Bladers ready!!" DJ called.

Diego held out his beyblade and put it in position at the launcher, and Patrick slammed his Armada into his scythe and brought it in a swinging arc to position.

"This looks like it's gong to be a good one, Brad," said AJ as he and Brad studied each bladers' stats. "Diego of the Blade Sparkers is known to be very skilled and serious in battles, but let's see him go against this one!"

"That's right," said Brad. "Patrick of the Relic Bladers certainly have it in for his opponents, and his ruthless Armada is sure fitting for him."

The referee took to position as the bladers were ready, and everyone watched in anticipation.

"Three!! Two!! One!! _Let it rip!!_" DJ yelled.

"Go!!" Diego shouted, releasing his blade with a blast of greenish smoke from the launcher.

"Take him down!!" Patrick roared as he gave the scythe a powerful swung and Armada was flung right off and sped into the bowl. There was an almost deafening clanging sound as both blades hit the arena.

"Metal…hmm…" Kenny thought, studying Diego's blade. "It's greenish…and so are the rest of the Colombians'…"

Armada charged around the stadium, in hot pursuit of Diego's blade. It suddenly darted forward in a blue stream and slammed right into Diego's blade. Tiny debris of an odd greenish hue flew all around the pitch arena and Diego's blade nearly got forced into the sloping walls.

Armada pulled away, and Patrick smirked. "Oh, so is that your game…"

"What is he talking about?" asked Tyson. "Has he figured it out?"

"I know!" said Kenny. "I know what it is! Diego's blade and the rest of the Blade Sparkers have put something in the composition of their metal beyblades! They put emerald in it!"

"Emerald?!" they chorused.

Emily, sitting with the All-Stars, pushed up her glasses. "I guess that they knew that in order to stand a chance against the Relic Bladers, they're going to have to make their blades stronger. Admittedly, it's an interesting tactic to put emerald in their beyblades to strengthen them, in the same way the Russians used diamond dust to strengthen the arena!"

"Quite smart," said Steve, smiling as he watched.

Diego grinned. "That's right. Our beyblades are strong enough to take you on right now, using the emeralds taken from our native Colombia!"

Patrick watched as Diego's beyblade crashed into his and pushed Armada slightly off the chase. Then, suddenly, Patrick erupted into laughter. "Oh, is that so?! Well, then, let's turn it up a notch!"

Armada gleamed a sudden vivid flash and there was a sickening impact on Diego's beyblade. There was a powerful metal sound of impact and sudden bending. Sparks rained down from everywhere as Armada's blades slashed right through Diego's. There was a momentary pause.

The next thing they knew, everyone was on their feet, awestruck and cheering, as Diego's blade fell with a clank at the bottom of the arena, pieces of it torn out and in places on the arena, and Armada sill spinning around like a blue streak. "Ha!" Patrick roared. "Take that!"

Diego, appalled, fell to his knees. "What…happened?"

"Ha haa!" AJ Topper was howling in glee. "Look at that! That was a perfect shark attack right there!"

"Diego's blade has been ripped by Armada—like it was raw meat for a shark!" said Brad. "And that's just what it is!"

"And the winner!!" DJ yelled. "Patrick of the Relic Bladers!!"

There was another roar from the audience, and Tyson was on his feet. "Man, how did that happen? One minute Armada was just rushing, and then he next—"

"I know!" said Max. "Isn't it amazing? That blade was awesome! What do you think, Chief?"

They all looked at him when they received no reply, and Ray facefaulted when he saw Kenny bent over his closed laptop, snoring. "Chief fell asleep again…" 

Kai looked out to the arena. "I think that the Relic Bladers will have this one. After this match, we're going to fight the Conquistadors."

He looked over to where the Spanish contenders were. There they were, three of them, standing at one side of the bleachers. Two boys and a girl. The tallest was the girl, and she turned around and saw him. She smirked at him and tossed her black curls as if she had something up her sleeve for them.

Kai frowned. _Those Conquistadors are acting odd. They're not even concerned about anything…_

Suddenly, in the dim silence, a scream was heard from the darkened hallway atop the bleachers. "No!!" came the cry of one Canadian contender from the hall beyond. "My beyblade! My bit beast!!"

For a moment, the area was stunned. Mike, who'd heard, had an expression that darkened his face, and he tore away from the bench and headed for the steps to the bleachers. "Mike!!" Patrick cried.

"Jade, take over!!" said Mike as he ran off.

Tyson, unnerved by Mike's sudden movement, instantly took off in a flurry, racing up the bleachers and heading for the hall. He was just the type to help people out, and there he went, knowing that the Demolition Boys were at it again.

"Man, and there goes Tyson!" said Max. "Nobody can keep still now, can they?"

"No!!" wailed an Afterburner girl, her voice echoing in the hall.

Mike listened to the cry and followed after it. It was only then that he realized that Tyson was on his tail. "What are you doing here?" Mike called.

"I know it's the Demolition Boys!" Tyson cried. "They're stealing the Canadians' bit beasts because they lost!"

"Oh so you all know too, huh?" Mike said. "You should be with your team—you're battle's next!"

"Your battle is _now_ and _you_ left!"

"Ah, you're tough to argue with," Mike snorted but still smiling anyway as he glanced back at Tyson. "And you're good. Well, come on, then—we're almost too late!"

The two of them broke into a hall, and they saw the Afterburners there. One thickly dressed blonde girl was reaching out as the blue-green image of a large reindeer bit beast vanished into a beyblade that was sucking it in. 

The two beybladers stopped in their tracks, stunned. Tala of the Demolition Boys was standing there with Bryan, and their bit pieces are both glowing as they had stolen the Canadian bit beasts.

"Tala!" Mike exclaimed.

"We're too late," said Tyson.

Tala and Bryan looked up at them, and the blonde Canadian girl was crying as her friends consoled her. Tala said, "Mike. I thought your battle was right now."

"It is," retorted Mike. "But I decided to see for myself if this was true. Tala, how could you?! You know what it means to have a relic stolen!"

Tala did not reply. And then Bryan said, "Tala no longer cares for that sort of twaddle."

Tyson said, "You guys are going too far. Are you going to steal the bit beasts of every blader who loses here?!"

"What do you know, they've got smarts after all," said Tala, smirking. "We're just going to show them how much of a disgrace it is to lose."

"Grr…" Mike was valiantly trying to keep himself under control. "Tala, you're too much! You've totally changed from what you used to be! You used to care about us and the relics—you used to care for Alexia! And now look at you! I'd spit on your face if it wasn't so rude—and stooping down to how low _you've_ gone!"

Tyson was frankly stunned. He'd never seen Mike so angry—for all he was so calm and composed most of the time. _Bit beasts were really honored among them, then…but what does that have to do with Tala? It looks like he used to know Tala…just like Alexia…_

Tala himself was starting to show signs of anger at Mike's tirade. "Mike, you're really pushing me! Just shut up and mind your own business!"

"I'll push you right over the edge if I have to!" Mike yelled back.

Tala was getting really angry and he was about to raise his beyblade when Bryan stopped him. "Tala! What's happening to you?"

Tala felt a flash go through him and he suddenly regained the impassive mask over his face. "Oh. I'm sorry, Bryan. I didn't know what's gotten into me."

"Our duty is over," said Bryan. "We've gotten the Afterburners' bit beasts."

The Canadian girl, Tammy, howled in despair again, and Tala glanced at the other two and said, "You are too late. If you want their relics—_bit beasts_ back, you're going to have to beat us, now won't you?"

And he whirled around and left, Bryan following him. Bryan stared at him. "Tala, you lost it awhile ago. What is happening to you?"

"Forget it, all right?!" Tala replied shortly.

Bryan frowned. _So what Ian said _was_ true… Tala's past as an Arcan is crumbling him down…_

Tyson bent down to the Afterburners. "Are you guys all right?" he asked. "They didn't hurt you or anything, did they?"

"Yeah," said one of the Afterburners, Marcus. "So they've gotten our bit beasts, eh? I guess there's nothing much we can do now…" He sighed. "Should've known this was happening."

"It was bad enough that we lost," said the other Canadian boy, Jackie. "But they didn't have to steal our bit beasts too, eh?"

Mike looked down at them and said, "Don't worry. We'll get them back."

Tyson nodded. "Yeah. Our teams won't let this go."

Jed, the captain, said, "You're Mike of the Relic Bladers, and Tyson of the Bladebreakers, eh?"

"That's right," said Mike.

"Well then—we'll be cheering you on all the way," said Jed, nodding fervently. "I'll tell you now—I know that you guys can beat them. Then all our bit beasts will be back, eh?"

Tammy stood up and said, 'We're counting on you guys."

"Don't worry about it," said Mike.

The Afterburners then left, all looking desolate and yet hopeful that they'll regain their bit beasts. Mike turned around with Tyson, and they began heading back for the arena. "I don't know about you, Mike, but I think that it's not going to be easy…keeping that promise…" said Tyson.

"I know that too," said Mike. "But they're counting on us now. The Demolition Boys have no right to steal other bladers' relics."

"Yeah…I don't want to let them down either," said Tyson. "I'd feel horrible if I lost my Dragoon…"

After a pause, Tyson said, "Do you think you could tell me what's going on? You used to know Tala, didn't you?"

"I'll tell you if you promise not to tell anyone," said Mike after a while of thinking, and then he sat down at a bench in the hall, and Tyson sat next to him. Tyson crossed his chest, "Scouts honor. Now tell me."

Mike glanced at him and sighed. "You see…Tala used to be our friend."

"Tala is _Arcan_?" Tyson's jaw dropped. "No way!"

"Yes way," said Mike. "Tala was my best friend. He and I used to beyblade together. A lot. We were both two of the best beybladers in the country, and everyone knew that."

"So now I see why Tala's so good—and he made it to be leader of the Demolition Boys," said Tyson.

"Yeah…that heritage of Arcanis, Tala hasn't forgotten," said Mike, smiling wryly. "Everything else, though, BIOVOLT wiped off him."

"So why is Tala in Russia? Why isn't he with you guys?"

"That's what I want to know," Mike sighed again. "You see, Arcanis was just opening up to people from other lands, then. A beyblading tournament—we hold one every year—just finished, and Tala and I were tied on being the best bladers in the country. That's how he and I met. We became good friends and good rivals. After that, I met Alexia through him, and we met Jade in another tournament held a couple of years later, and Patrick in one unscheduled match.

"Tala always wanted to be the best blader in the world. That was his dream. He wasn't content on being the best blader in Arcanis—he certainly wasn't. I had dreams like that, but I wasn't as dedicated as Tala was. But even so, Tala was a good person. He was good to me and my friends…we always were together. 

"And then one day, right after one tournament, Tala just…vanished. For days, no one heard anything from him. Alexia was very distraught and we looked for him all over the place. But no one knew where he was. There was no letter, no calls, no nothing. Finally, we went to the port master in the docks. And he told us that he saw Tala going with someone into a ship. A tall man with pale complexion and purple hair. He wore a mask over his face. He took Tala away on the ship."

"A tall man with a mask?!" Tyson gasped, horrified. "That's—"

"Boris," said Mike, nodding. "In BIOVOLT's research, they knew that Arcanis bred extremely skilled beybladers. So he went there to get the best ones. It was only when the port master described him that I remember him. I saw him watching the tournament, and he'd approached me afterwards, asking me if I wanted to be the best beyblader in the world. He said he could help me, and that he'd train me to be the best blader there ever was. But it involved taking me out of Arcanis. I didn't want to leave Arcanis, and refused."

"And so since you wouldn't go, he went after Tala instead," said Tyson.

"Yeah," said Mike. "So Tala was gone…probably because of me. He was lulled by the thought of being the best and most powerful. We never saw him again. Since beyblading was so important to everyone in the country and he was champion, we were allowed to form a team, me, Jade and Alexia, and we were allowed to enter the beyblading tournament, along with Patrick, who became our new member to replace Tala's slot. We knew that if there was an International Tournament, Tala would be there. And maybe we could get him back.

"But now…we've found out about BIOVOLT…and we heard that they were breeding extremely talented beybladers. And one of them…the member of the Demolition Boys as well as their captain, was Tala. At first, we thought that we'd finally found him, until we found out how brutal and cold he'd become. He's one of the most relentless beybladers in the world, now. That's why we fully hesitated to approach him here in Russia. Alexia, however, couldn't be stopped. You saw what happened in the park. And it was only then that we knew that the only way to get Tala back was if we beat him and break him down from BIOVOLT."

Mike sighed. "So I guess…now we have a lot at stake. We want Tala back—he's our friend, and I think you understand that."

Tyson looking uncharacteristically serious at the tale, nodded. "Yeah. It must be terrible for you all to lose him and find him like this."

"You've no idea…" Mike sighed. 

Tyson leapt to his feet. "Well, then! We're going to get Tala back!"

"Excuse me—'we'?" Mike stood up and raised an eyebrow. "If you've forgotten, we're _still_ opponents in this tournament."

"Yeah…but still, this is important, now, isn't it?" said Tyson.

"Yes it is, but that doesn't change anything," said Mike. "We'll still beat you if we have to just to face off with the Demolition Boys and knock Tala back to his senses."

"Who said anything about taking it easy," Tyson grinned. "Whoever wins between us will have to be the ones to get Tala back to his senses, then."

"It'll be us," said Mike, smirking.

"Not if we can help it," Tyson replied. 

"We'll just see about that, won't we?" said Mike, and Tyson gave him a high five and said, "Right. That's the way it's gonna be and I'm glad we're clear on that."

"Remember," said Mike. "Not a breath of this to anyone. You got it?"

"Right, I got it—you can trust me," said Tyson. "Don't worry about it."

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Patrick: (jaw hanging) What'd you tell _him_ for, Fearless Leader?!

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Mike: (calmly) I trust him not to tell. Besides, it isn't very good secret to keep anyway…

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Alexia: I thought the point was to keep everything as much under wraps as possible?!

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Mike: Re-_lax_. Who's he going to tell?

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Arcan Blades: (stares at him with raised eyebrows)

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Jade: (as Mike gets a sweatflood) Okay…fine… I expected they find out eventually… (looks to the readers) Okay, everybody—you know what to do: Review and tell us what you think!!


	10. Chapter Ten The Steps to Victory

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Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

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Patrick: We're baaaaack…

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Mike: It's about time. Hey, the Bladebreakers will commence battle soon…

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Alexia: Oh, this looks good…

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Jade: (smiling sweetly) Why? You want to see Kai in a bey battle?

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Alexia: (turning scarlet) Shut _up_!! I just want to see because…because! They're our friends too, right?

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Jade: Riiiiight… Well, all I can say is…this is going to be a _seriously_ hilariously interesting chapter… Read and Review!!!

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CHAPTER TEN

The Steps to Victory

(Note from the authoress (Jade): I don't know how to dance flamenco—all I know of the dance is what I saw on Mission Impossible II. Don't kill me please—I just tried to make it work.)

From Block B, the White Tigers were all standing in barricade in front of Ian and Spencer, in absolute shock of what had been done to the Snow Blazers' bit beasts in the hall.

"Give them back their bit beasts!" Lee roared.

"Not a chance," snapped Ian. "They lost—and those bit beasts are ours now."

"But they didn't lose to _you_!" Mariah yelled.

"Doesn't matter," snorted Spencer. "Everyone who loses to us will feel the agony of defeat. The price is their bit beasts."

The Icelander Snow Blazers were positively awestruck, as they watched in horror. Ian and Spencer's bit pieces were still shining with the added power of their bit beasts.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded in the hall, and the Tribals, who'd just been defeated by the Majestics, come into the hall. "Look out!!" the White Tigers chorused.

Ian whipped out his beyblade. The Tribals, stunned, stood stock still, appalled, and they felt their beyblades vibrating. Suddenly, there was an explosion of bright light, as the Antelopia, Rhinocia and Giraffia bit beasts were snatched right out of their beyblades.

"No!" Katari, the captain of the Tribals, cried as his Antelopia flew off.

"My bit beast!" Amaka, another member, exclaimed as Giraffia also vanished.

Kevin ran forward and leapt on Ian just as the bit beasts vanished into the Demolition Boys' bit pieces, quite too late. Ian howled as he struggled to free himself from Kevin's grip. A fray resulted as Gary and Spencer ran in to haul the struggling Kevin and Ian apart.

The Majestics rounded the bend around, breathing hard. "We didn't make it!" Oliver moaned.

The members of the Tribals were staring at their beyblades in horror, and Johnny snarled at the two Demolition Boys. But Enrique and Robert pulled him back.

"It's too late, Johnny!" said Robert. "Fighting isn't going to do anything. If you want to beat them, we'll have to beat them in a bey battle. That's the _only_ way that we can get those bit beasts back."

Ian glared at them all, especially at Kevin, and the said, "Let's go, Spencer. It isn't worth our time to be around these losers." And with that, they both walked off into another hall.

"I can't _stand_ those guys!" Mariah exclaimed, stamping her foot.

"So do I," said Lee, glaring at their backs.

Then they looked up and saw the Majestics. A spark of tension went across them and flashed through the room as they both sized each other up. Because both teams knew that they'll be against each other for the Quarter Finals, and it was only yet another stage for them until they go against the Demolition Boys.

Upon Mike and Tyson's return, they saw that the Arcans had won their match—as expected—and the Blade Sparkers had long since been gone. And to their surprise, the Bladebreakers were already down in the arena, facing off with the Spanish Conquistadors.

Tyson, after splitting up with Mike, then clattered down to the arena to them said, "The Blade Sparkers! You have to tell them—"

"I've warned them," said Ray. "I told them to hang on to their beyblades and bit beasts. But since we're in BIOVOLT's territory, I don't think it's much good."

"Man, we weren't able to save the Canadian bit beasts," said Tyson. "The Demolition Boys got to them before we could."

"Well it's a good thing you didn't take out your beyblade, then," said Max. "Because if you lost to them in the hall, you would've lost _your_ bit beast too."

"What took you so long, anyway?" asked Kai.

"Ah…" Tyson, thinking quickly of an excuse, answered, "I…ah…went to the bathroom and then got lost. Sorry."

"Well it took you forever!" said Ray. "You've missed a lot—the Relic Bladers pretty much swept the arena awhile ago and won two matches straight over the Blade Sparkers—they're going to the Quarter Finals. And then it was our turn, and Max lost to one of the Conquistadors. I've won over Paolo, the other Conquistador."

"Yeah, but I still wish I had ducked that darn giant bit beast…" said Max, shaking his head, and Ray said, "That's okay, Max—we'll get them back."

"So it's my turn, then?" said Tyson, looking across the arena to see. "I have to win or we won't advance to the Quarter Finals."

"No, not you," said Kai impatiently. "You weren't here when we planned the play order—that's what comes of being late. I'm going to be the one to fight Estella, the captain of the Conquistadors."

"You, Kai?" Tyson blinked.

"Yes, I wanted to face-off with her since she kept annoying me with her infernal smirking," said Kai. "The Conquistadors have been being arrogant. I want to put a stop to it."

Tyson blinked and looked back across the arena, and saw Estella, standing there very calmly, with her black hair shining and neatly arranged, and she was wearing a ruffled dress and she held a fan in one hand while the other hand was hidden behind her back.

"Well…all right," said Tyson, going over to sit down next to the sleeping form of Kenny on the bench. 

Kai walked over to the arena, still covered and unrevealed, holding his shooter. He frowned across at Estella, who merely smiled at him. "Finally, we come to face-off with each other," said Estella, smiling. "You must do well—or your team won't advance."

"I will," Kai replied.

A mysterious look came over Estella's face. "Are you sure about that?" she asked in a similarly mysterious tone.

Kai glared at her in reply, and Estella said, "Oh, you're too tense…I think you should loosen up a bit… And if you won't, I'll just make you, won't I?"

"What?" Kai stared at her, getting increasingly annoyed.

DJ pranced up across the bridge above for his use and he crowed, "All right, ladies and gentlemen—here we go! The final round of the match between the Bladebreakers and the Conquistadors! For the Bladebreakers—team captain Kai! And for the Conquistadors—also their team captain, Estella!"

"All right, what a match this'll be!" said AJ Topper as he and Brad Best checked out the stats, "Kai from the Bladebreakers sure is one cool customer, and his bit beast Dranzer is nothing to recklessly trifle with! But the graceful Estella of the Conquistadors is a quite odd match for him on this round, because she more of technique than the use of her bit beast Roander!"

"So here it comes, the deciding round for this match!" said Brad. "Who will advance to the Quarter finals—the Bladebreakers or the Conquistadors?"

"Let's see now, shall we?" said DJ from his lofty perch. "Beybladers, are you ready? Then let's see what kind of arena we have for you today!"

The arena slowly slid open to reveal not a midnight diamond bowl, but a bowl of sturdy, shiny wood, very slippery looking although there was nothing else much there. 

"Well, well, try this one on for size!" said DJ. "Here we have the Beat Bowl—a true test of skill for the beybladers to control their movements on the slick surface while trying to hit your opponent!"

Patrick, from where he was with the Relic Bladers, said, "Man, I'm glad we weren't given that bowl and they decided to make a Midnight Diamond bowl for us. We would've trashed that place the moment our blades fell in!"

DJ leapt up. "All right, everybody! Here we go!! Three—two—one—_let it rip!!_"

With a battle cry, Kai shot out Dranzer with a mighty rip, and the blue beyblade instantly fell into the arena, and slid out of control for a moment, and Kai held his breath, but Dranzer went steady. 

"Man, that surface is slick!" said Max.

Estella whipped out her fan—which was her shooter, interestingly—and with a whipping motion on it, her beyblade, a scarlet and yellow flounced blade, with the flounces on the attack ring solid sharp blades. Her blade seemed to feel right at home on the slick surface, and it skittered around with much grace as a prancing pony.

"That's a weird looking blade," said Max, staring at it.

"Yeah," said Ray. "And the way it moves on that slick surface…"

Kai sneered. He wasn't wasting any time. "Go, Dranzer!" 

Instantly, the blue beyblade shot forward, heading for the Roander beyblade, but as it approached, Estella smirked. Suddenly, the Roander beyblade slid out reach and Dranzer went past it harmlessly. And Kai, for a brief moment, was panicked, as Dranzer slid on the surface beyond his control for a moment, and the beyblade slammed into the wall before bouncing back into the middle of the arena.

"That was close," Tyson breathed. "But it's so weird. Estella doesn't seem to be too frazzled."

"Kai, don't try rushing at her again!" said Ray. "You'll just slide all over the place!"

Kai clenched his fist. _But if I don't, how am I supposed to get close to her? What am I supposed to do?_

Estella suddenly smiled and said, "Well then—my turn."

And to everyone's surprise, Estella stamped her high-heeled feet in a rapid rhythm on the ground before coming to a stop in a pose. And then her beyblade, interestingly enough, bounced up the same number of times while working its way across the surface, and suddenly, it slammed into Kai's beyblade, sending it reeling.

Kai quickly regained control before Dranzer crashed again, and he stared, agape, at Estella, who was smiling from ear to ear, knowing her indubitable advantage. She whipped her fan and flitted it to her face as she laughed. "What do you think of _that_ now?"

Kai was stunned. Estella took advantage of this and stamped her foot again, this time sweeping up her skirt along with her. The Roander followed suit like a puppet and this time and this time smashed into Dranzer twice as it moved in a slight arc around the blue beyblade. Kai held Dranzer still.

"Oh no!" said Tyson. "Kai's going to get beat like this and we'll lose and we won't make it!" Quickly, he snatched Kenny's collar and shook him. "Chief! Chief, wake up! It's an emergency! I swear it is!"

Kenny woke to life at Tyson's rapid shaking, and he said, "All right! All right, already, I'm up! Calm down!" He yawned. "What is it?"

"Look!" pointed Max. And Kenny looked up, his jaw dropping at the sight of Dranzer being whipped about the arena by a scarlet beyblade controlled by Estella from the other side.

"The floor's too slick for Dranzer," said Ray. "Look—Kai can't attack that beyblade, but how come she can attack him?"

Kenny, quickly getting to movement, opened his laptop and said, "It's the way she moves. Hey beyblade is following her moves. It's a dance!"

"Estella's _dancing_?" said Tyson, staring as Estella continued to move with fluid grace and artistry. "But there's no music!"

"Her feet _are_ making the music!" said Kenny excitedly. "That's Estella's technique! She's dancing the flamenco!"

"Flamenco?" they all chorused.

"That's right. Flamenco is kind of like tap dancing, but you need to be a lot faster because you stamp your feet and not just your toes and heels. Your feet make the music for this, but in Spain they sometimes have guitar accompaniment. You need to have grace and agility for this sort of thing and it takes some years to master really well like what Estella's doing right now."

"So it's her dancing," said Ray, looking back. "She's not slipping up because she's dancing!"

"Hey!" said Max. "So if she's dancing, then Kai can do the same thing I did to beat that Samba dude in the Asian tournament!"

"I'm afraid it's not that easy, Max," said Kenny. "Flamenco is different from Samba. And without accompaniment. So that means that Estella is making up all this as she goes along. That means that Kai had no beat to follow around in."

Kai, who heard everything, gritted his teeth. _Just my luck_,he thought. _Well, beat or no beat, I'll have to avoid her…_

As Estella did a rapid medley, Kai waited for the moment and ducked Dranzer away, and Estella missed. There was a slight cheer from the stands as Kai finally managed to make a move. 

"Ah, getting smart, I see," said Estella. "Well let me tell you something—you can't beat me by just waiting around like that. Flamenco is a dance, yes, but it is also a challenge. And for one to be able to return the challenge and fight, one must send one."

"What are you talking about?" Kai demanded.

Ray cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled, "Kai! She means that you have to dance to beat her!"

"_WHAT?!_"

"It's true, Kai!" said Kenny, standing up. "In flamenco, it's a dance of partners. With you both as dancers, you have to make it up as they go along force forcing the other to match your pace and you'll create a dance!"

"I am_ not_ going to dance!!" he yelled back.

There was a sudden sickening crash as Roander crashed into Dranzer again. Kai winced. _If I don't do something soon, Dranzer would be destroyed!_

"Kai, it's the only way you can fight back without slipping up all over the place!" Max cried.

__

But does it mean that I'll have to lose my dignity?! Kai thought as Estella continued to dance and Roander crashed again and again at Dranzer, looking as if it was taunting him. 

From the stands, everyone was staring. 

"Man, no way!" said Patrick. "Kai would never dance!"

"But if he doesn't, he'll lose the match," said Jade. "And the Bladebreakers will be eliminated. He practically has no choice."

"He doesn't seem to be the dancing type," said Mike.

"Not even close!" said Alexia from where she sat at the aisle. She looked up and said, "Hey Jade, your cousin's here."

Jade looked up to see Robert and the Majestics coming down from the aisle. "Robert! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the other arena?"

"I was," said Robert. "Our match is over and we've finished the Tribals."

"And we'd ran over here the moment we heard that they were making Kai _dance_?!" said Enrique, looking out into the arena. "That's the most impossible thing in the world!"

"But as you can see, he has to," said Emily, appearing nearby with the rest of the All-Stars, as the Relic Bladers had the best seats and they could get a good view from where they were.

"Man, this is going to be good," said Steve, grinning from ear to ear. "This thing is televised internationally! Live!"

"Don't taunt him!" said Alexia. "It's not going to help him at all!"

There was a snicker from nearby, and the White Tigers stood there. Kevin was snickering behind his hand and he said, "Come on, man…"

"Kai will _never_ dance," said Lee firmly. "Never! He'll die before he will!"

"Come on, he has to!" said Mariah. "Or the Bladebreakers will lose!"

"So it's more of a question on what he holds greater—his dignity, or his loyalty to his team," said Robert.

From all the way in a locker room of the other arena, Ian tore down the hall burst into the Demolition Boys' locker room, startling his teammates. 

"You guys! You have to see this! Estella of the Conquistadors is making that traitor Kai dance the flamenco!" he exclaimed.

"What?!" they exclaimed and all of them ran out of the locker room in a hurry, completely bypassing Boris, who wondered where they were all going in such a hurry.

And so Kai, knowing that he was in the middle of an incredibly tight situation, had to make a choice. He had to dance, but he'll risk getting laughed at for the rest of his career, probably. He probably wouldn't be able to live through this afternoon. But it would be just as humiliating, not to mention more agonizing, if they lost the eliminations now and so early into the tournament.

"Guys, I don't think he's going to do it," said Ray, looking at them.

"Well Kai has to!" said Tyson. "Estella isn't letting up! This is serious—we're at the _Russian Tournament _for crying out loud!"

"I think it's pretty painful for him," said Max. "Even _I_ wouldn't fancy having to dance right there with everyone watching!"

"Would he rather us lose, then?" said Tyson.

"You have a point there…"

Kenny glanced around and said, "Guys, wait here a moment." And he suddenly ran off. Tyson blinked and asked, "Do you think he couldn't bear the shame?"

"I'd say he's up to something," said Ray.

Estella paused for a moment and grinned at him. "Well, Kai? Are you going to dance, or will you rather be obliterated by a little girl like me?"

Kai grit his teeth, clenching his fists. _I can't do this…I can't do this…_ "No!"

"Kai, you have to!" cried Max. "It's the only chance we've got to beating her!"

"I can't dance the flamenco, you idiot!" Kai yelled back.

"Just do what she does, Kai!" said Tyson. "Let the music come to you!"

"That's the corniest cliché I've ever heard," said Michael from where he sat, stunned, and everyone else shushed him. 

There was a most tense moment of hesitation as Roander came dangerously closer to Dranzer. Estella waited, and then was about to move in for the kill.

And suddenly, a rapid set of five stamps—sounding incredibly forced and furious, burst out. Dranzer bolted forward and slammed into Roander, and the red beyblade was pushed off.

There was instant uproar at Kai's most inconceivable achievement and everyone was whistling and hooting. Kai's face was a mixture of red and purple, and he looked incredibly furious. 

"I don't believe it!!" Johnny howled over the roar. "He actually did it!!"

"Oh, this is amazing!" exclaimed Alexia, leaning over the railing to get a better look.

"He's not even dancing—he just stomped around," Robert rolled his eyes. "Cool down, you all."

"Yeah, way to go, Kai!" Max yelled, leaping up and down like a marionette.

Kai was still incredibly angry and mortified by what he'd just done. But one thing was clear—it _did_ work. Ray cried, "Keep going, Kai!"

"Are you out of your mind?!" Kai shouted back. "I'm not going to do it again!"

"But Kai, you have to!" said Tyson. "That isn't enough! Look at Estella, for crying out loud!"

Indeed, Estella was already dancing again, and Roander was charging at Dranzer at a startling speed. Kai gasped, and then stamped his feet twice. Dranzer bolted away, and the crowd went crazy again.

"Oh, I wish I had this on tape!" said Enrique, laughing.

"It is!" said Oliver, snickering. "Mr. Dickinson has it on video!"

"Shh!" said Alexia, but chortling in spite of herself. "If he hears, that'll upset him and he won't dance!"

"Like he can hear anything over this crowd," said Lee. "They're liking this!"

"I don't blame them—Kai isn't the type to dance!" said Emily, grinning in spite of herself as Kai tried another set of clumsy steps.

"He's not even the type to _smile_," chortled Eddy.

Well, everybody was liking this, all right, and the Demolition Boys, who were practically hanging over the rail, were staring. "Man, this is degrading!" said Ian.

"Well, I for one am glad that we didn't have to face the Conquistadors," said Tala.

And from the Bladebreaker's plot, Tyson, jumping up and down, yelled, "Kai, keep dancing! You have to attack!"

"Not a chance!!" Kai cried.

"You can't just duck the whole match!" said Ray.

__

He's right… Kai thought rather miserably. _I'm going to have to dance. But this is the most ridiculous thing in my life!! I'll never live it down!_

Kai stamped his feet again, angrily, but this time, Dranzer did not move an inch.

"Aw, Kai, that's no good!" said Tyson. "You're just clomping around! You have to make it _sound_ good!"

"I'd like to see _you_ do this thing!!" Kai roared back. "You were the one supposed to be here and not me!"

__

And man, am I grateful for it, Tyson thought. "But you'll get beat!"

Kai snarled under his breath. "Make it sound good," he muttered. "I can't dance this thing!" He watched as Estella continued her illustrious performance from the other side. And then, he remembered something he'd seen a long time before. His grandfather took him to Seville, and he'd seen a pair of dancers doing the flamenco. He came back to his senses and saw the two beyblades in the arena.

__

Okay…so maybe I do_ have an idea how to do this… but that doesn't mean I will!_

"Kai, please!" said Max. "We'll lose—we really will!"

__

Dancing…it's terrible…

"Kai!!" the Bladebreakers chorused.

__

But we can't lose, either!

And to everyone's extreme amazement, Kai hit out the longest succession of steps that he'd made so far, and with a noticeable melody this time. It sounded less forced and less angrier this time.

Dranzer leapt forward and slammed into Roander twice and sent the other beyblade crashing into the opposite wall. There was another uproar in the stands. "Wow, that was amazing!!" Max hollered.

"What?!" Estella was stunned. "How did he…"

"I've seen flamenco before, Estella," Kai snapped. "And I know how it goes even a _little_ bit."

"Kai, it's working!" said Ray. "Just keep it up for a little longer!"

"This is terrible," Kai muttered. "I told you guys, I can't do this!"

"You can!" said Max.

"No, he can't!" said Estella, throwing off her fan and taking out a pair of castanets and she clacked them loudly in the air. And she began to dance harder than ever, this time with the castanets. She spun around and around twice and came to a dramatic stop that caused all the Spanish people in the arena to cheer.

Kai backed a step. _Oh no…there is _no_ way…_

"How is he going to do this?" said Ray. "Estella is really good, and we've only got Kai to dance _now_. Chief said it takes years to perfect."

"But as long as you understand it—you can try and go along!"

They looked up and saw Kenny running towards them, holding what looked like a bundle of clothing. Kai turned to see him, and Kenny yelled, "Kai, catch!"

Kai reached up and caught what Kenny threw. It was a black hat, and a gold-buttoned black jacket. "This will help you get the feel of it!" said Kenny, grinning.

"These are…flamenco clothes," said Kai, staring at them.

"Yeah!" said Kenny. "Go on!"

Kai gingerly put on the hat and the vest. Estella was looking for furious now, and Kai rather liked annoying her like this. The tables have turned.

Estella began to dance gain, clacking her castanets together, and swirling around, and Roander charged at Dranzer again. Kai forgot about everything except for the fact that he _had_ to win or else he'll face an even greater shame than before, and he'll let down his friends.

Kai placed his hands behind him as he'd seen the males do, and he danced a rapid volley of melodic stamps. Dranzer dashed forward, and the arena's roof was nearly lifted right off with the uproar it caused.

"I don't believe it!!" Kenny was howling. "He's really doing it! Kai's really dancing the flamenco!!"

Ian was so shocked that he fell over the railing and landed into an empty seat. Tala was stunned, staring openly at the display. 

Johnny couldn't take anymore—he'd been keeping it in for so long. He collapsed over, howling in laughter. "He's—Kai's dancing the flamenco!"

The White Tigers were laughing so hard that they were pounding on the rail, and even the Bladebreakers were giggling in spite of themselves. The Relic Bladers were trying hard not to laugh—and failed—while Patrick was openly rolling around in laughter, clutching his sides. Even the All-Stars were howling, beside themselves.

Kai flushed a deep red from beneath the hat, knowing that his footwork was very poor and nothing to be compared to Estella's expertise but he ignored it all because he was so determined to land a win. His rather clumsy and ridiculous beginner steps began to improve as he kept up the footwork. He began to stamp out quickly and swiftly the steps to the dance, and everyone could see that it was starting to work.

Estella, seeing that her opponent was improving, danced even harder and her beyblade was crashing into Dranzer, but Kai leapt forward and matched her pace with almost miraculous agility and dexterity, his feet matching her pace and melody. Dranzer fought back and began to push Roander away. 

As this incredible spectacle continued, the entire arena was on their feet, fewer and fewer laughing, now they were all gasping in surprise and waiting as both beyblades kept spinning around each other, crashing and even straining against each other.

"This is _unbelievable, _ladies and gents!" DJ yelled. "Let us make this even more interesting for our beybladers!"

He snapped his fingers, and a music accompaniment belted from the speakers. The two dancing beybladers on the ground went even faster, and everyone was incredibly stunned that Kai was able to keep up so well to someone like Estella. Before long, there was only a rising murmuring in the stands as the two went on, and the accompaniment kept going.

The sound beating in his ears and the image of the flamenco dancers he'd seen before flashing in his eyes, Kai knew that it was time to move in. He suddenly made a sudden rapid succession of furious yet still melodious steps, and to everyone's amazement, he suddenly spun around in the beat and ended with a pair of hard stamps.

Dranzer came in drastic collision to Roander, and Estella, panicking, began to dance hard again, matching Kai, and they looked for all the world like a pair of flamenco exhibitionists. It all went faster, and faster, and the audience was on their feet, all of them watching in anticipation as the tension and excitement rose.

Finally, Kai made a sudden rapid succession of steps, swung around twice while still stamping out the melody and finally, he made another dramatic succession of stamps and he leapt up and brought his feet slamming down into the ground one before the other in a dramatic final pose, holding his head high and his hands behind him.

At that very instant, Roander flew into the air at Dranzer's incredible impact, and it flew past Estella and fell behind her in a clatter.

The arena exploded into cheers and applause that was heard for a mile around the stadium and resounded around the entire area.

DJ, over the thundering roar of the audience of the stadium, screamed, "_KAI WINS!! The Bladebreakers move into the Quarter Finals!!_"

"_He did it_!!" came the chorus of the Majestics, All-Stars, White Tigers and Relic Bladers, leaping about in a mad frenzy.

Kai was looking furious, though, and he grabbed Dranzer, ripped off the jacket and the hat, looking very red in the face, and flung them at the awestruck and frozen Bladebreakers before stomping off with a heavily reddened face. But before he could get very far, the Bladebreakers broke out of their stunned shock of being victorious under such undeniably impossible conditions, and they all leapt at him in jubilee. They all crashed into a heap on the floor, laughing, as Kai roared for them all to get off him.

"They're good, all right," said Emily, grinning, catching her breath and wiping the tears in her eyes from all the laughing.

"And determined to win for each other," said Robert, nodding, composing himself.

Tala smirked. "That was a most unusual and yet terrible obstacle. But they made it. They're worth paying attention to after all."

He turned around and said, "Let's go. There's nothing more to see here until tomorrow."

And that was how the Elimination Rounds ended for them.

****

Patrick: (rolling all over the floor) AAHHAHAHA HAA HA HA HA!!! HAA HA HA HA!!!

****

Alexia: (furious) Grrr… _Patrick!!_ (shoots at him with her Desert Eagle)

****

Mike: (snickering behind his hand as the chase and shooting ensues) But…I can understand why he's laughing…

****

Jade: Alexia will _so_ murder you if she found out you're laughing…

****

Mike: (rolling his eyes) She'd gone and been so close to him…

****

Jade: An excellent performance though. (to the readers) All right, everyone—_please_ review!!


	11. Chapter Eleven Gone Into the Night

****

Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

****

Mike: I'm feeling unusually chipper… And why wouldn't I be? We're into the Quarter Finals, so did everyone we know, and Kai danced the flamenco…

****

Alexia: (bristling) Do you _really_ have to bring that up?!

****

Patrick: (snickering) Keep me laughing for years, that one will…

****

Jade: Quit it, you two… (looks at Alexia) You're getting to be real close to him, aren't you?

****

Alexia: (turns away with a red face) …it's not a crime…

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Jade: (sigh) Whatever…I figured this… Anyway, here's the next chapter! Read and Review, everybody!!

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CHAPTER ELEVEN

Gone into the Night

"No, really! It was amazing!"

"Shut the heck up! If you say one more word about it, I swear, I'll leave!"

Max laughed. "Oh come on, Kai, can't you let us enjoy such a spectacular match? And it's only the Elimination Round!"

Kai only grumbled to himself, still haven't lost the red appearance of his face as well as being unbelievably crabby the entire ride home. Kai had insisted that they go home right after they finished their match, or he'd go by himself.

Now, they were walking up to their hotel room, and Kai was still grumbling because he had been made to do 'such a ridiculously degrading thing' but everybody just agreed that it was very amusing and that he was actually rather good at it.

"Well you should've enjoyed it," snapped Kai. "Because I'm not playing in the Quarter Finals. That, I swear."

"Aw, you're such a spoilsport and you're still a crabby captain," Tyson made a face at him. "Hey, who are we fighting in the Quarter Finals, anyway?"

Kenny, who'd been wide awake since Kai's rather unorthodox match, said, "Oh, well one more match went on after we left, and according to the update I got on my laptop, we're fighting the Philippine Orient Pearls tomorrow. They beat the Irish Green Dazzlers just by the skin of their teeth."

"Orient Pearls?" Ray blinked.

"It's an all-girls team that came in from the Philippines—everyone said that it was quite a dark horse victory for them and for making it this far," said Kenny.

"All-girls?" Kai snorted. "Now I'm definitely not playing. I've had enough with ridiculous females."

Kenny opened the door to their room and went in, switching on the lights, and he added, "And tomorrow, the All-Stars are going against the Relic Bladers too."

"Well, good luck to them," said Max. "I think they'll need some of it. The Relic Bladers have yet to disappoint in their battles, I've heard."

"Yeah, well," said Ray, yawning, "Don't you guys think we ought to get some rest now? We've had an exciting first day and we're going to have another one tomorrow…"

"Yeah, we should…" said Kenny. "But I'll bet anything that the All-Stars aren't getting proper sleep tonight."

"Run it again," said Michael, staring fervently at the screen of the large monitor connected to their computers in their room where he and the rest of the All-Stars were gathered.

"Michael, we've been running it for over a dozen times now," Emily said, groaning from the controls. "Give it a rest!"

"No," said Michael. "I want to see their moves again and again so we'll know what we have to face!"

"Michael, we've only got Patrick, Alexia and Jade's moves," said Emily. "Okay, and counting Kai's match with him, we have Mike's too. But we can't be entirely sure that this is all they're capable of!"

"They barely even revealed their strengths so far," said Judy, looking up from where she was scanning the status of their beyblades after the fight with the Afterburners.

"Still, we have to be ready, right?" said Steve, twisting around to look at her from where he sat on the floor. "We can't just go in there without knowing what they're capable of."

"I think we _do_ know what they're capable of," said Eddy. "They're capable of a lot of damage!"

"Again, Emily, please?" said Michael. "Eddy's right—they can do a lot of damage, and that damage can be done to us tomorrow if we go there blindly."

Emily sighed and hit the replay button.

Jade passed by the All-Stars' room and smiled as she heard the sounds of a videotaped match in there. _I guess they're preparing… Already? They must be incredibly dedicated to beating us tomorrow._

And she walked down the hall. She spotted Alexia vanishing around the hall, and to the elevators. Jade wondered, _Now where could Alexia be going?_

She hurried down the hall, and tried to follow after her. But as she rounded the bend, she had to stop, because an elevator just opened, and Robert stepped out. "Hello, Robert," said Jade as he came out.

"Oh, hello, Jade," said Robert, smiling at her. "What're you up to at this time? Night just fell outside."

"Nothing, really," said Jade. "How about you? Was it only now that you and the Majestics returned?"

"We decided to cram in some quick practices and upgrading," said Robert. "We're to face the White Tigers tomorrow, of course…"

"Well, good luck," said Jade. "They're a pretty good team."

"Nothing we can't take on I'm sure," said Robert as he walked up to her. "So…has anything out of ordinary happened?"

"Besides the Demolition Boys stealing relics? Not much…"

"You know what I'm talking about."

Jade sighed but she smiled. "This reminds me of the reason why I'm so glad that you're around, sometimes. I get the feeling that someone cares for me."

Robert smiled, but before he could say anything, someone cleared a throat from behind them. It was Oliver, and he'd just come out of the elevator. He smiled and said, "I'd hate to break up the reunion, but I'm afraid that we still have to do some more things for tomorrow."

"Right," said Robert.

"I'm going outside for a while," said Jade. "See you tomorrow, Robert."

Jade left him, and she went into an elevator, wondering where Alexia had got to now. She couldn't blame her, really. It still must be a shock to her to finally find Tala and see him like that. She saw that Mike held up quite amazingly, though, and remained calm. Of course, she didn't know what happened when Mike and Tala faced off in the hall when the Afterburners' bit beasts got stolen…

Alexia sat down at one of the stone benches in the hotel grounds and sighed. "I can't believe that this is all happening…" she said to no one in particular. "How could Tala be like this?"

There was a long pause, even the wind was still and did not reply to her. And then a voice said, "So Tala must really be important to you, huh?"

Alexia nearly jumped and turned, and saw Kai standing there, not looking at her, only staring ahead, his hands to his pockets. She stared at him. "Kai. What are you doing here?"

"I'd ask you that," said Kai. "You're all by yourself out here."

"I just…well, I just thought I needed time to think about things."

Kai paused, and then he turned around. Alexia said, "Hey wait, where are you going?"

"Well you need space, don't you? You said you wanted to think."

"Why Kai, don't tell me you actually care," Alexia smiled at him. Kai raised an eyebrow at her, and Alexia said, "If it's all right, stay awhile. I really don't like being alone much…"

Kai watched her for a moment as she stared at her hands, and then he sat down on the bench, a good three feet from her and not even facing her. There was a long pause, and Kai said, "You didn't answer my question earlier."

"Oh, that," said Alexia, laughing a bit. "Yes, well…he is. I mean, why wouldn't he be? He's the only one I've got now… And he isn't at all what he used to be before…"

After a moment, Kai said, "What was Tala like before BIOVOLT?"

"Well…let's see… Tala was a good person, a little calm and quiet, like Mike, and he was nice towards everybody, and he was rather easily tempered if pushed. But he can also exercise great patience. He was responsible too, and looked after me and my friends…"

She laughed. "I guess that's one reason why we all liked him a lot. He wouldn't bail on us." She looked up at the starry sky and said, "But it looks like he finally has… He always wanted to be the greatest beyblader in the world… and now that he's so close to achieving his dream…I don't know whether I want to stop him or let him go on…"

And to which Kai replied, "Wanting to be the best is good and fine…but it'll all be useless if you don't do it right and forget other important things… like the people close to you… BIOVOLT has this way of making people forget that…"

Alexia smiled at him. "Didn't you use to be the same?"

Kai ignored the fact that she knew and let it fly away. "I used to be, yes. I used to be like him…I want to be the best beyblader in the world…and I still do…but not like that anymore."

"And so what happened to you?" asked Alexia. "How come you're not like the other Demolition Boys now?"

After a brief moment of hesitation, Kai looked up, staring ahead as he said, "My friends. They didn't give up on breaking me down and getting me back to my senses. They made me realize that I was being wrapped up in my own power and it'll eventually ruin me." 

He glanced at her and said, "And I think that if you really want Tala back that badly…you guys are going to have to do the same. You can't just let him run around going about things the wrong way…or he'll never fulfill himself."

There was long silence that followed after this, and Alexia smiled. "…You're right. I can't give up on Tala now. I need him back too badly. What with our parents gone and everything…"

"What?" asked Kai, instantly looking up at her.

"Yes, we don't have parents anymore. They died…"

"No, not that—I'm sorry about that, but what did you mean by 'we'?"

Alexia blinked at him in puzzlement as he looked at her and she said, "Well of course we have the same parents—Tala _is_ my older brother after all."

There was a pause, and Kai choked, and then suddenly burst into laughter that he tried to stifle back in vain. Alexia stared at him as he went on like that, and, stunned, she asked, "What is the _matter_ with you?"

"N-Nothing," Kai managed to say, finally managing to gain some control of himself. But he couldn't have helped but laughed at that moment. _And all this time I thought that Tala was her boyfriend or something… Then he turns out to be her brother… I don't even understand why I'm so relieved! Oh…well… I figure it's something about _her_ then…_

As his laugh faded out, Alexia suddenly laughed and said, "You know, you look a lot more becoming when you laugh like that."

Kai instantly stopped and flushed scarlet at this. He frowned at her through his flaming cheeks. "Stop that."

"But it's true," said Alexia, smiling. "I think I like you better like that."

Kai turned away and said, "Oh…whatever."

Alexia stopped her giggle and said rather seriously this time. "Thank you, Kai. I'm really glad that I talked to you."

"Hm…" Kai glanced at her and stared at his hands with a shrug. "Yeah. Sure."

Jade smiled from behind the tree she had been looking at Alexia and Kai from. _Ah, what a nice sight. Now I know what Zeus had been hinting to us about those two…_

She had to admit. They did make a pretty interesting couple… Especially since Kai's ice had been melting bit by bit…

"Ahem. Eavesdropping are we?"

Jade jumped and whirled around. There was Ray, standing there behind her, wearing a thick coat and a rather tentative smile. Jade clutched her chest. "Ray, you scared the life out of me!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," said Ray, walking a few steps towards her. "But I was actually following Kai and wondered what he was up to."

"Well, I guess I was tailing Alexia, too," said Jade, looking back at the pair sitting apart on the bench and yet speaking to each other. "They make a pretty pair, don't they?"

"I guess so," Ray laughed.

There was an awkward pause, and Ray said, "Um…are you still mad at me?"

"Huh?" Jade looked at him.

"Well…you _are_ mad at me, aren't you? You've been ignoring me…"

"No, I'm not," said Jade, turning to him. "I wasn't ignoring you—you're the one who keeps walking away!"

"That's only because Mariah pulls me around," said Ray, smiling. 

"And then there's her," said Jade. "I wrecked her beyblade."

"Okay, _that_ I was a little upset about."

Jade turned away from him, and Ray said, "Hey, I said a 'little', didn't I? Besides, if you haven't done that, Mariah's Galix would never have become as strong as it is now."

Jade didn't say anything, and Ray said, "And I've also been staying away from you because…well…there's Robert…"

"Robert?" Jade blinked.

"Yeah…he knew I upset you, I guess…and he told me to stay away… Not that I wanted to…"

Jade sighed and shook her head. "Robert is too protective sometimes. He's always looking after me at every turn. But then again, he _is_ an only child, and I _am_ his only cousin…"

"So he's your cousin?" Ray blinked. 

"Yes, he is—didn't he tell you?"

"No…but I kind of figured it to be like that…" he replied, even though it was otherwise. _I really thought something else when Robert confronted me that time…_

Jade smiled and said, "Well…I'm glad that we're on good terms again."

"Yeah," said Ray, smiling back. "You're the only girl other than Mariah who I've gotten along with."

"Wouldn't you have? You're a gentleman," said Jade, turning around and looking back to where Alexia and Kai were, so she missed Ray's crimson face.

Ray, to cover this up, said, "So Alexia is Tala's little sister… That means he's Arcan, and that you must've known him well, huh?"

"Very," said Jade. "He was a good friend of ours. And we'll get him back—you'll see."

"I don't doubt that."

Back at where the pair sat at the bench, Alexia glanced at Kai's immobile figure on the other end, looked up at the stars and then let out her breath. She stood up and said, "I'm going inside now. It's getting chilly. Aren't you going to go too?"

"Uh…no, I'll stay here awhile," said Kai.

"All right," said Alexia, smiling. "I'll see you tomorrow." And she hurried down the path, heading for the hotel doors. But halfway there, she stopped and turned to him. "Oh, and Kai?"

Kai looked up at her, and she grinned as she said, "You know, you dance very well."

And at this, Kai turned magenta from his collar up as he leapt to his feet, facing her. "Why does everyone keep saying that?!" he cried.

"Because you do!" said Alexia, bursting into laughter.

Kai, clearly chagrined, stared at her, containing an explosion, and Alexia just laughed again.

And then…like it was a sudden nightmare, it happened. Before anyone could react or move, a shadow suddenly came up behind Alexia and grabbed her, covering her mouth. Shocked, she tried to cry out and failed, struggling against her captor's grip.

"Alexia!!" Kai cried, color draining from his face.

Jade gasped in horror and ran into the open for the girl. "Alexia!" she cried.

"Jade, don't!" Ray called after her, he himself appalled and unable to collect his wits about him.

Jade tore across the grounds, but halfway before she could get to Alexia, a shadow dropped down and landed on her, pinning her to the ground. Jade cried out and her mouth was instantly muffled.

"Jade!" Ray tore out into the open as more shadows came into the garden, while the shadow that caught Jade dragged her over to where they were restraining Alexia, and the two Bladebreakers stood frozen, horrified, at the sight.

From a balcony above, Oliver was hanging over the railing seeing the terrible sight, and he began yelling into their room, "You guys! Come here, quick! Robert! It's Jade! And they've got Alexia too!"

The Majestics came tearing out of their room and into the balcony. The Bladebreakers, who were not too far, put their heads out the windows at Oliver's cry and saw Kai and Ray in the grounds, with the two struggling Relic Bladers caught in what looked like a group of seven shadows.

"Oh my gosh!" Emily gasped, as she also saw the scene from their window, and the rest of the All-Stars followed suit. "It's a kidnapping! Guys, we have to get down there!"

"The people down there are in trouble!" Mariah shrieked, pounding on their window from the White Tigers' room. "Lee—do something!"

"Let her go!!" Kai yelled, taking out Dranzer and preparing to launch, but all the other shadows pointed rather generic-looking beyblades as well and launched them all. The beyblades went all over the place and bounced about, hitting Kai and Ray, and they both raised up their arms in defense.

With beyblades raining down on them, Ray and Kai couldn't move and were getting cut at the impact. Meanwhile, the shadows suddenly put handkerchiefs over the two Arcans' nose and mouth, and their struggling slowly weakened as they both fell unconscious.

"No!" Ray choked as he and Kai tried to push past the bombardment of beyblades. "Jade!"

Then they heard a sudden powerful screech of a large bird from above. They looked up, and a brilliant indigo hawk bit beast was soaring in the air. It gripping two beybladers in its talons and prepared to let go as it swooped down.

"Incoming!!" came Mike's furious roar as the hawk bit beast released him. As he fell, he gave the beyblade a mighty rip from his rip-sword and the huge gleaming beyblade flew down and struck one of the shadows. The shadow it struck fell to the ground and didn't move. 

Patrick gave a resounding yell and brought his scythe slashing down, and the shadows scattered as he and Mike hit the ground. From above, Zeus looked down from the back of his own massive hawk bit beast, Amaranthine, with a serious look and nodded.

"Yahoo!!" Michael hollered as he came charging with the other beybladers, launching their beyblades, and there was a rainfall of various powerful beyblades from all directions at all the group.

One of the shadows, obviously the leader, nodded, and they all scattered, ducking the beyblades, and they took the two girls with them.

"Jade! Alexia!" Patrick yelled as the shadows and the girls vanished into the Russian night.

"Come on, it's no use!" said Steve, grabbing him back. "They're gone!"

Patrick grabbed Armada and flung it into the pavement in anger, and the stone block pavement it hit split and cracked. While everyone else just stared, stunned, he snarled, "Darn it! We didn't make it!"

The unconscious shadow was still there—left behind. Gingerly, Kai flipped him over with his foot and saw the mark on his outfit. He scowled. "BIOVOLT."

"This is beyond low!" Mike suddenly exploded so that everyone stepped back. "First Tala and now Jade and Alexia?! This has gone too far!"

"Mike, shut up!" Patrick suddenly exclaimed, slapping a hand over his mouth as everyone stared at him, surprised and puzzled, thinking—what _about_ Tala? Patrick hissed, "You don't have to scream for all the world to know!"

Mike peeled himself away from Patrick and snapped, "Well what are we supposed to do now, huh? There's only two of us left!!"

"No, that's not true!" Tyson suddenly said, and they all looked at him. Tyson said firmly, "There isn't only the two of you. You've got the rest of us. And we'll help you get the girls back."

Robert, looking terrifyingly furious, grabbed the collar of the boy in black clothing on the ground and shook him hard. "_You_!! Wake up!! I said wake up!!"

Robert was so furious that no one dared say anything. The BIOVOLT boy was a trainee. He came to life at Robert's intense shaking, and he began choking. "L-Let me go!!" he yelled.

"No!!" Robert yelled while still shaking him. "Where did you take Jade and Alexia?! Who sent you, huh?! Who?!"

"I'll bet anything it's Boris again," Kai growled, looking intensely infuriated at the proceedings. "That low life scumbag will do anything to—"

"Well?!" Robert roared, just about ready to sock the boy. "_Was_ it Boris?"

"Robert, calm down!" Max exclaimed but Robert paid no heed and none of the Majestics could dare stand against him now—they've never seen Robert so angry before. "Just tell him already!" Mariah cried angrily, shaking her fist at him. "Is it that Boris guy?"

"No!" choked the boy. "It's not—it's not Boris, I say! It's not him!!"

"Then who?!" Robert roared shaking him harder.

The boy, gasping and choking, screamed, "It's Tala!! I swear to god, it's Tala! He sent us! Tala was the one who sent us to catch them!!"

"That's impossible!" Mike thundered.

"It's true!" the boy cried. "Tala sent us to capture one of the Relic Bladers—and we saw Alexia and took her! But we didn't know—we didn't know that Jade would be there so we took her too!"

"Are you absolutely sure about that?" Ray demanded.

"I am! I am! Boris doesn't know!! Tala did it by himself! It was Tala!"

Patrick turned to Mike, his face white as a sheet. "He's telling the truth! But why would Tala want to capture us?! Why would he go that far?!"

Robert turned his deadly sights on the boy again, who quailed and cried, "I don't know! I swear, I don't! Tala just ordered us to do it!"

"Well where did they take them?" asked Michael.

Before the boy could say anything, whistles sounded faintly from beyond their sights in the darkness at the other side of the path leading to the road. The Russian Police were on their way, hearing that there was something going on in the hotel grounds.

The boy took this opportunity and suddenly kicked Robert in the shins. Robert recoiled, and the boy jerked away, and ran like an antelope. Before anyone could stop him, he flew over the fence a way off and vanished into the dark.

"The police are coming!" said Emily. "What do we do?"

"We'll have to go after them!" said Ray. "We can't just leave Jade and Alexia in their hands!"

"Tala's taken things too far," snarled Mike. "I'm going over there and straightening him out with several blows to the face if I have to!!"

"I'm going too!" said Patrick. "I can't just let them run off with our team."

"So am I," said Kai, clenching his fists. "I was that close to Alexia then. But I wasn't able to help her. Tala's going to pay for this."

"I'm going too," said Ray. "I should've done something instead of just stood there."

"Well if _they're_ going, then _we're_ going too!" said Tyson, nodding with Max and Kenny. Max added, "Yeah, we can't just leave these guys to go off by themselves!"

"All right, then!" said Emily. "The less everyone knows about this the better—the Relic Bladers and the Bladebreakers will go to retrieve the girls while the rest of us cover up what happened!"

"I'm going as well," said Robert.

"No, Robert, you have to stay here," said Johnny. "You have to help us cover up what happened. Besides—you're one with the eloquence of words."

"But…Jade…" Robert protested. "I can't leave her like that!"

"Don't worry about it," said Ray fervently. "We'll get her back."

Robert looked at Ray and pointed at him. "I'm counting on you then, Ray." And Ray nodded.

"All right, now go!" said Lee. "You don't have much time and they're coming! Go, all of you! We'll hold the fort here!"

They all nodded and they took off, racing each other. "P-Pardon me, you guys!" Kenny panted as they raced over the direction that the boy had run off to, "But—but do we even know _where_ we're going?"

"Yeah—if this was just up to Tala, they could be anywhere!" said Tyson.

"He's risking a lot by doing this without telling Boris—so they may or may not be at BIOVOLT," said Kai. "How do we find them?"

"That's easy," said Mike as they all leapt over the fence like cats—behind them, the police arrived at the scene and the other beybladers appeared to have been having a match—the feigned reason for the ruckus.

As they leapt over the fence and landed down on the sidewalk of the road, a bus came skidding up to a stop next to them. It was the Bladebreakers' bus, but the one driving it was Zeus.

"What took you?" Mike asked, climbing into the bus with the rest of the group.

"Had to borrow the Bladebreaker bus from Mr. Dickinson—who willingly let us for the cause," said Zeus coolly as the door hissed shut. "Hang on to your hats, boys."

And with a jerk of the wheel and a slam of a foot on the pedals, the bus took off like a shot down the road. Kenny, bouncing around the back, asked, "But still, the question remains…where are we going to find Tala and the girls?"

"Zeus—you've still got us Relic Bladers tagged, right?" said Patrick.

Zeus burst into laughter. "And I thought you guys didn't know."

"You nut, of course we know," said Mike, making a face at him. "And for once, we're actually glad—even though otherwise it's a gross invasion of privacy! It'll help us find out where the girls are!"

"Let's hope they're somewhere not too far—the scope isn't that far," said Zeus. "Chief, my laptop's at the back. Open it and run the search program you see there."

"R-Right!" said Kenny, finding the laptop and opening it as the rest of the Bladebreakers hung behind him. Kenny typed away furiously at the laptop and said, "Got it!"

"Run the sound transmitter," said Zeus. "You'll find some headphones next to you." He looked at the mirror to the back and said, "Max, you might be sitting on them."

"Oh, sorry," said Max, getting the headphones and giving them to Kenny.

Kenny slipped on the headphones and listened. "Barely anything. Just a lot of static."

Zeus said, "The pins must've been slammed around or something…"

Patrick tore a pin off his coat and said, "They were _these things_?! Man, I'm never wearing them again!!" He was about to pitch it out the window when Zeus said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you—it'll help me keep track of you all when we get to where the girls are."

Patrick muttered under his breath and put the Arcan pin back on.

"The transmitter's kind of broke, but I still can find where the signal's coming from," said Kenny. He typed again, and a map of Moscow came into the screen. A silver dot and a blue dot were moving. "So this is us," said Kenny. "Mike and Patrick are in this bus, of course. Now for the girls…"

He typed again, and then he saw them. There was a slow moving green dot and a red dot within a building. "I see a green dot and a red dot moving in a building of some sort…"

Kai frowned. "That's an abandoned church. It's not too far from the BIOVOLT abbey—the underground of the church is an extension of the underground passages in BIOVOLT."

Zeus, after a moment, asked, "Tell me, Chief—is there…do you see a white dot near them?"

Kenny looked and said, "Yes. The two dots are heading right for the white dot that's in a room not too far off."

Zeus looked calm, but he said with a slightly perturbed voice, "That…shouldn't be possible."

"What do you mean?" asked Kenny.

"That white dot…happens to be Tala."

"Tala?!" came the chorus.

And hereupon, Kai, who heard things from Alexia, had to explain about Tala and what he was, exactly to the Relic Bladers, who didn't say anything and did not interrupt the explanation. Ray pitched in, and so did Tyson, who, after finishing, said, "But Mike, you never told me that Tala was Alexia's brother."

"You never asked," said Mike simply.

Kenny looked up at Zeus and said, "So you had gotten Tala tagged too, and that should've have happened before he left Arcanis."

"He didn't leave—he was _taken_," snapped Patrick.

Zeus said, "Well, that's true. I did tag Tala. But…he shouldn't be registering anymore."

"What do you mean?" asked Max.

And Zeus replied, "Because if Tala was really a Demolition Boy—and he really seems to be now—he shouldn't have the symbolic Arcan pin. He should've—or Boris would've—thrown it out. But since he's registering…that means that he still has it."

After a pause, Mike said rather softly, "Why would Tala still have the Arcan pin if he was a Demolition Boy and dedicated to BIOVOLT's whims?"

"Unless…" said Kenny. "Unless Tala isn't all the Demolition Boy that he seems to be."

Quite an awkward silence followed this.

****

Patrick: That still freaks me out, Mike, you know that, don't you?

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Mike: Yeah… Could we've been wrong about Tala?

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Patrick: But he did all that stuff… he even kidnapped the girls!

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Mike: He must have some reason… And that's what we're going to find out. (to the readers) Review, you guys!!


	12. Chapter Twelve The Escape From BIOVOLT

****

Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

****

Mike: (strapping his katana) All right. It's time for things to get really dicey.

****

Patrick: You ready, Fearless Leader?

****

Mike: Like there's any alternative. Now let's go out there! (races off)

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Patrick: (stops before going off) All right—Read and Review, you guys!!

__ ****

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Escape from BIOVOLT

__

Man…where am I? My head is pounding… 

Those were the first thoughts that registered into Alexia's head as she slowly stirred. He felt that she was sitting somewhere hard—presumably on the ground—and next to her was Jade, also slumped over. She quickly rounded herself, and shook the brunette. "Jade! Jade wake up!"

Slowly, Jade came to. She looked around. _Looks like were underground…_ she thought and looked at Alexia, who looked rather pale. "Where…are we?"

"You're in one of BIOVOLT's underground annexes."

They both looked up and stared, stunned. In front of them stood the Demolition Boys, with Tala in the lead. They stood, stock still, and Bryan said, "I still don't understand your motives for this, Tala."

Alexia looked at Tala, and blinked. _That's odd…he looks a little…different…_ And she could tell by the look on Jade's face that she thought so too.

Tala replied, "Just leave this to me. If things go wrong, I'm to blame. Boris would never get rid of all of us—he needs us too much—now that we're so close to victory."

"Why did you want these two kidnapped?" asked Ian.

"I didn't have them kidnapped," Tala replied calmly. "I'm just going to borrow them for a while."

Spencer raised an eyebrow and studied the two girls. They were both tied up, and their beyblades were safely out of their reach, sitting on top of a table in one corner of the room. 

Tala then said, "All of you leave."

"What?!" said Ian.

"I'll be all right," said Tala coldly.

"But Tala—" protested Ian.

"I said go!" said Tala fervently, making all the Demolition Boys take a step back. "And keep a lookout on Boris as we planned."

Bryan eyed Tala for a moment before saying, "Right."

"Let's go," said Ian, and the other three Demolition Boys turned and left the room. 

Tala did not move for a moment, and then he went to the door as if to check that they were gone. Then, seeming satisfied, he turned back to the girls.

"What do you want from us, Tala?" Jade muttered. "Haven't you done enough?"

Tala did not reply, and Alexia said, "If you think you're going to get us to tell you the makeup of our beyblades are, you're sadly mistaken."

For a moment, Tala glanced at her, looking only the slightest bit hurt at the words. Now Jade and Alexia thought that he _really_ looked somewhat different. The way he moved was unsure, and not calm and cold as he usually would've been. It was like what he was doing was something that he knew wasn't supposed to be done.

Tala picked up the beyblades and the launchers from the table nearby and then walked to the girls. He slowly knelt down and set them down in front of the girls. He took a knife from his pocket, and at first, the girls watched him warily, but then he suddenly cut the ropes around their wrists and their feet and freed them.

"There," he said in an unusual soft tone of voice as he leaned back. "This'll show you that I don't mean any harm."

Jade, rubbing her wrists, stared at him. "Tala…what is this?"

Tala glanced away. Alexia suddenly grabbed his shoulder and turned his face towards them, and Tala looked at them with such a look in his blue eyes that Alexia gasped. "Tala! It's you!"

"I—I don't know how it happened," Tala stammered, looking terribly upset and confused. "I just…came back to my senses all of a sudden. Alexia—you've no idea what I've gone through here in BIOVOLT—" he suddenly let out a cry as he grabbed his head, a jolt of pain going through him.

"Tala! Are you all right?" Jade asked, going over to his side.

"I'm—fine…" Tala choked. "This just happens. I don't know why but I've faded out of whatever they've done to me… But I don't think it'll last long…"

"How did this happen?" asked Alexia, looking at him with concern. "How long have you been back to normal?"

Tala reached into his outfit and pulled something hidden inside and held it out to her. It was an Arcan pin that all the Relic Bladers had. "I…I just looked at it," he replied. "And I just remembered you guys… And then there I was. Since then I've been normal, but I had to act like I wasn't so nobody would get suspicious. I took a risk and told the Demolition Boys to help me bring one of the Relic Bladers here—and they did. I told them it was because I'd try to get on your side because I was Arcan—and I could fish out information from you."

"So what's the real reason?" asked Jade.

Tala looked at them, "I needed to see one of you to keep me sane. You guys—I heard Boris was going to totally wipe out every single sympathy I have for Arcanis and you guys—the Arcans. I'm going to be turned into a total soldier for BIOVOLT. They know I've been weakening. So I decided to see one of you—not only to keep me in the right mind—but also to tell you all that—"

He was cut off in another gasp of pain through his head, but he continued, "I also wanted to tell you that you _have _to win the Russian Tournament. You just _have_ to. It's the only way to stop BIOVOLT's plans and—and get me back to right…"

"Tala, we will," said Alexia. "I promise we will."

"No, you don't understand," said Tala. "I won't be able to help you anymore once they've taken over me. Do what you have to—be relentless and whatever you do—_don't give up_. That's the only way you can get past—"

"Tala, that's enough," said Jade, alarmed as Tala was seized up again. "Take it easy. Alexia," she looked up at her, "what are we going to do?"

"We'll get him out of here, of course!" said Alexia.

"No!" said Tala. "You can't!"

"Why?" asked Alexia. "You guys took Kai once from the Bladebreakers."

"That's different—Kai went by choice, but they're using some sort of mind control over me ever since I've been wavering from them," said Tala. "They put me in a tank and—but that's beside the point. I don't think my normality will last for long. If you take me out, I'll just end up turning back to the captain of the Demolition Boys and you'd be in a mess."

"But we can't just leave you!" said Alexia, looking desperate.

"You have to," Tala choked. "Alexia, in all honesty, I swear I want out. I want out of here and I want to go back home. But I can't. I just can't. You two have to escape now—before they come back—before Boris finds out."

As Tala stood up and looked around, Jade asked, "But what about you? You can't just let us escape—they'll know you're back to normal!"

"Don't worry—I'll think of something," said Tala. "I'll fade back into a Demolition Boy after a while, I believe."

Jade said she looked around, "How are we going to get out of here?!"

"That was what I was wondering," Tala said. "I haven't exactly worked out this part of the plan well—there are BIOVOLT people all over this place…"

"What?!" Alexia gasped. "What do we do?"

Tala said after a moment, "Well…there are BIOVOLT people all over the place, but we'll take a gamble. I'll bet that your friends will come to rescue—after all, those who I sent to capture you guys reported having trouble with them. We'll wait until they arrive, and let them do the rescuing. That way, it's off my hands."

"Right," said Alexia. 

"Now all we can do is wait," said Jade. "Until they come…"

The old church had been in ruins—destroyed by a fire a long time ago—but beneath its crumbling walls was one of the strongholds of BIOVOLT, its underground passages heading straight of the abbey, which was the heart of BIOVOLT.

"There it is," murmured Kai as he looked out at it. He looked at Kenny. "Well, chief?"

"Hasn't changed," said Kenny. "The white dot is still in the same room as the red dot and the green dot. My guess is that Tala is interrogating them."

"For what?" Patrick snorted.

"Well, it doesn't matter—doesn't look like things are going to change either," said Ray. "I say we figure out a way to get in."

"It's easy enough to get in," said Kai. "There aren't any guards because this place is barely used. Our problem is what we do once we're inside."

"Hmm…let's see…I say that when you get in, some of you will cause a diversion, while the others go and fetch the girls," said Zeus. "It's going to be pretty hard, though—with Tala in there and everything—so I say that Ray, Kai, and Mike will go to get the girls while Patrick, Tyson and Max give the guards in the place a run around."

"Why Ray and Kai?" asked Max, and hereupon Zeus smiled rather mysteriously and answered, "That's because they're the most determined ones to save them."

The mentioned two flushed a deep red while the other beybladers snickered. Kenny said, "Guys, come on! Who knows what they're doing to the girls in there!"

"All right," said Kai. "Come on. Follow me."

The group crept across the snow and into the ruins of the church. Running down the aisle, Kai went behind the stone altar and kicked off the carpet. A trapdoor was concealed beneath.

"There," said Kai. "Once we're in, you guys all know what to do."

"Kenny and I will stay out here," said Zeus. "Mike and Patrick's tags are still working, so if you get lost, just say it out and we'll guide you."

"Got it," said Mike, nodding. "Let's go."

They lifted the trap door, and one by one, the boys descended down the trapdoor, vanishing into the dimness beyond. They descended the steps, and found themselves at a large, rather well-lit hall which went out into three directions.

"All right," said Kai. "The room that Tala and the girls are in is to the left."

But before they could move, a group of guards came from the hall in front of them, and spotted the group. "Hey! You kids!" one of them yelled.

"You're on, you guys!" said Mike as he, Ray and Kai darted into the left hall.

Tyson, grinning said, "Take this!" and he shot his beyblade out, crashing it into some wooden boxes nearby. The boxes burst into flint. Dragoon bounced back and Tyson caught him as the guards coughed and ducked. 

"Come on, slowpokes—bet you can't catch us!" hooted Max as they darted into the right hall, and the guards went after them in hard pursuit.

Patrick, turning around as they followed after them, saw that the ground was stone—the same kind in the park. "Gotcha!" said Patrick, and he ripped out Armada, who slammed into the stone ground and stone and dust flew. Armada ran back, gouging the floor, running alongside Patrick and he caught the beyblade before they went off to one branch of the hall.

The guards, running through the dust and momentarily confused, decided to split up to try and find the boys.

Meanwhile, Mike, Ray and Kai slowly picked their way down the halls. Kai looked around the corner and beckoned to them. "This way."

They followed him, running as fast as they could without making too much noise. They rounded a hall, and Kai said, "That room. That's where Tala and the girls are."

They nodded and hurried towards it, beyblades ready in case they get attacked or anything—their beyblades now sufficiently heavy enough and sharp enough to be weapons—and then when they just passed a dimly lit adjoining hall, they heard voices. Quickly, they ducked behind some wooden boxes.

It was Ian, Bryan and Spencer, and they hurried out of the hall.

"That's weird," said Ian. "I thought I saw somebody here just now."

"There isn't anybody here—nobody would dare," said Spencer.

Bryan looked at them and continued their conversation as he said, "Like I said, Tala sure isn't acting himself. He seems distracted."

"Yeah, he's been like that since he'd seen the Relic Bladers," said Ian. "But he's Arcan and all…"

"I wonder what's going on in that room," said Spencer. "Tala himself figured he'd be the one to torture the information out of them if they don't talk willingly—but it's still pretty quiet."

Ray gave a sharp intake of breath and looked at the boys. Kai mouthed, 'We have to go _now_.'

Mike shook his head and pointed, saying that they can't move until the Demolition Boys go. Ian, looking past the boxes the boys were behind and right at the room, said, "I wonder how they're doing in there."

Slowly, Ian walked down the hall, and the boys waited with bated breath for him to come and catch sight of them, and they all raised their beyblades ready to attack once they get spotted.

Suddenly, though, alarms resounded all around the hall. The Demolition Boys looked up. "Intruders!" exclaimed Spencer.

"Let's move!" said Bryan. 

"What about Tala?" asked Spencer.

"He specifically said not to be disturbed anyway," said Ian. "Let's go! Before Boris finds out and takes our heads."

And the Demolition Boys all ran off in the opposite direction, and as soon as they were gone and their footsteps would no longer be heard, Kai leapt up. "Let's go!"

The boys bolted for the door, and Ray was in the lead, and as soon as they reached it, with a flying kick Ray broke it down, sending it crashing into the room to reveal red-haired Tala behind Alexia and Jade, who were standing free and holding their beyblades. They looked at them in surprise at their entrance.

"Alexia!" Kai exclaimed just as Ray said, "Jade!"

Mike glared. "Tala…" he raised his beyblade. "That's it. I've had it with you."

"No, Mike!!" Alexia cried, jumping on him to prevent him from shooting the blade and Tala took a step back to the wall at Mike's ferocity. "You don't understand! It's all right!"

"What are you talking about?" Mike demanded. "That jerk had you guys kidnapped and the Demolition Boys were saying something about _torture?!_"

"It's all a cover up!" said Jade, running forward. "Guys—Tala's back! He's been jolted back to normal!"

"He is?" Kai looked over to the Demolition Boys' captain, who indeed didn't look himself as he stared at Mike, Alexia and Jade.

"Yes, but it's not for long," said Alexia. "He gave us warning. We haven't any time—we have to go!"

"Go already!" said Tala, looking alarmed at the blaring sirens. "Guards will be all over this place at intruder alert! Go!"

"Tala…" Mike was stunned.

Jade looked at Tala once, and then grabbed his wrist and pulled him to them. "You're coming with us!"

"What?!" Tala exclaimed. "Jade, I already told you I can't! I'll revert back to being a Demolition Boy!"

"We'll fix your semi-schizophrenia, then!" said Alexia. "We'll get the All-Stars to do it with their technology if we have to! Just come with us, Tala, please! I can't stand the thought of what they'd do to you if we left! Tala, you have to come home!"

"Home…" Tala blinked. "I…I _want_ to go home. But BIOVOLT—"

__

That's good enough for me, thought Mike and he suddenly grabbed Tala's wrist. "Oh BIOVOLT's pond scum! Come on, Tala, ol' buddy—we're out of here!"

Tala was surprised, but grinned. "Thank you, Mike."

"Hey, what are best friends for?" said Mike, grinning at him and giving him a thumbs up.

"Guys, let's move!" said Ray. "We haven't got much time!" He grabbed Jade's wrist and began running, Kai and Alexia following with Mike and Tala at the rear.

The group stormed down the halls. But because of the alarm, BIOVOLT's main core had been alerted, and all security cameras for the area was turned up. Boris hurtled to the screens. "Bladebreakers! And Relic Bladers! But how—" He stopped as he saw Tala running with Mike, Alexia and Jade with Ray and Kai.

"Grr…Tala…" Boris looked quite furious as he watched them go. He turned to his men. "Go! Now! Stop them at all costs!"

And in the meantime, the 'distraction' group was getting pretty short-winded as they tried to keep guards away, but there was an ever-increasing number. "Man, we can't keep this up for much longer!" Max panted as they kept running around the maze-like underground halls. "Where are the guys?!"

Patrick grabbed his pin. "Zeus! Chief! We're a bit lost—a little help!"

"Don't worry about it, you guys," said Kenny. "The boys already have the girls and—Tala?!"

"Tala?!" Patrick yelled. "What is _he_ doing with them?"

"I don't know, but he's not chasing them—he's _with_ them," said Kenny.

"Man, what happened?" said Tyson, stunned. "Whoa! Guys, incoming!" And they all ducked as a hurtling barrage of beyblades came right at them and the three were forced to go to another hall.

"That's right guys—just down that hall," said Zeus. "Then turn right at the second hall. It should lead you back to the staircase—the others are on their way there."

And those 'others' are having trouble of their own. "More guards!" called Alexia.

"Uh—this way!" said Kai pointing to one direction.

"No, that way!" said Tala. "This'll lead to the entrance!"

"No, it doesn't!"

"You guys!" said Mike. "This isn't the time!"

There was a slight explosion from behind them, and they gasped, and they were all forced to go into a hall that was neither of what the two boys pointed.

Mike grabbed his pin and cried, "Zeus! Chief!"

"Take it easy," said Zeus. "Turn left at the next intersection."

"Guys, this is getting really bad…" said Jade. "I think Boris put this place on self-destruct or something!"

"Security cameras," Tala muttered. "How could I have forgotten—aaah!!" And he recoiled in the pain that jolted through his head. He collapsed, and Alexia was right next to him. "Tala! Are you all right?"

"I think—I think I can't hold on much longer…" he groaned.

"Come on, Tala—just a little further!" said Mike, heaving his best friend up now looking frantic. "Just focus and don't lose it, all right? Darn BIOVOLT…brain-washing…" he added in a mutter.

Tala smiled somewhat and he choked, "You guys—it's no use…just leave me here…"

"Not happening in a million years," said Ray as Kai pushed Tala forward with the rest of the Relic Bladers. 

"They know about this?!" asked Tala the Arcans as they ran.

"All the Bladebreakers do," said Ray. "And when we come back, all the others groups are going to want an explanation!"

The chase went on with Kenny and Zeus leading the two groups back to a direct but safe path to the surface. There were a few moments of frantic running, and finally, both groups broke in at the same time into the hall that had the stairs to the surface right across.

"Aaah!" Tyson yelled, surprised as they nearly came in collision with each other.

"You got them!" Patrick exclaimed. He stopped. "Tala?!"

"No time!" said Mike. "Let's go already! This place is a mess!"

They nodded and Max said, "There're guards everywhere you guys! We have to get out of here fast before—"

Suddenly, a bevy of guards came in their way, and they skidded to a stop and turned around, but there was yet another group of guards cutting them off, and in front of the ranks were Boris and the other Demolition Boys.

There was an instant standstill, and the group looked around in shock, knowing that they were trapped. Of them all, only Tala knew how much danger they were in. 

Boris, after a few moments, walked two steps towards them. Instantly, all the Relic Bladers surrounded Tala in a barricade. Boris glanced at Tala's face and immediately realized what had happened. And he said, "So…the effects of the training and controlling have worn off…"

For a few moments, Tala was still, and he suddenly sucked in his breath in pain and his hand flew to his temple. "Tala…" Mike said, glancing at him for a moment before looking back to Boris.

"Or not," Ian smirked.

"Just wavered," said Boris. "That can be easily mended."

"Not if you can get past us, first," said Tyson raising his beyblade. 

"The Bladebreakers too…my, my…how sweet of you to help out your little Arcan friends…" said Boris in very cynical tone of voice. "But I'll remind you now—Tala is a Demolition Boy…aren't you, Tala?"

Tala cried out and fell to his knees, clutching at his head. "Tala!" Both Arcan girls were at his side immediately. "Come on, Tala, fight it," said Jade. "Don't listen to him!"

"I—I'm…a…a Demolition Boy…" Tala was muttering with a blanked out set of blue eyes. "I serve…I serve…BIOVOLT…"

"Tala, get a hold of yourself!" Alexia cried, shaking him. "Don't say that! Remember us! We're your friends!"

"What use have you for friends?" crooned Boris. "You can be the best beyblader in the world without them…"

"Shut up!!" Mike yelled, launching Archonwolf in a scatter of sparks. Instantly, all the other Demolition Boys launched theirs and began to circle Mike's.

"Back off, Demolition Dorks!" Max yelled as he launched Draciel.

"Let's even up the odds a bit!" said Tyson, also launching Dragoon.

Patrick shot out Armada and there were blasts of dusts and debris that shook the hall as the beyblades all slammed and fought with one another.

"Now's our chance!" said Ray. "Go Driger!!" And he launched his own beyblade, followed by Kai's, at the group of guards by the door, who were forced to back off as both bit beasts emerged in thundering roars.

Jade aimed her arrows and sent them all scattering. "Let's go!" she yelled.

In the frenzy, the bit beasts all emerged out of the beyblades, and caused quite a confusion in the hall. The beybladers all grabbed their beyblades and made a run for the trapdoor. Bursting back into the light, they stormed like crazy down the aisle as BIOVOLT guards came swarming up behind them.

Tala, who was practically beyond resurrection now, screamed and fell to the floor and the guards rushed at him. But his beyblade dropped from his pocket and his bit beast burst out, amazingly, for the defense of its master. And amazingly, another gleaming wolf came bounding up next to it. Tala looked up, and saw Mike standing there, his beyblade emitting the bit beast's light.

"Come on, Tala!" said Mike.

"I—I can't!" Tala coughed. "I won't make it…"

Boris came up from the trapdoor and slammed a button hidden on the altar. Instantly, explosions went off all over the abandoned church. Both bit beasts vanished and Alexia ran to help Mike help Tala up. 

But Tala was pushing them away. "Go! You have to go!"

"No!" they both chorused. 

"Kai!" Tala yelled.

And through the gusts of smoke and fire, Kai ran in, grabbed Alexia by the waist and pulled her off Tala. Kai took one glance at him, and Tala nodded. Alexia struggled as Patrick came over and pulled Mike away. "It's no use!" said Patrick.

"We can't leave him!" Alexia shrieked, tearing herself off Kai and grabbing Tala's hand.

"Alexia—just go!" Tala cried as Mike was pulled off with Patrick's help. From a distance he saw the exit, with Kenny and Zeus waiting, and Ray and Jade had not moved.

Tala looked back at his sister. "Just remember—don't give up—and believe in yourself and in your team. No amount of power and science can compare to that—and it'll be your key to victory!"

There were the sounds of guards running through the mess, and Kai pulled Alexia off. "_Tala_!!" Alexia cried, but the guards came at Tala and the flames overtook the area. Tyson and Max, with twin yells, leapt out of the door, which was covered over in fire just as Patrick and Mike burst out of it.

Ray grabbed Jade and he flung himself and her into the flames, and they rolled out into the snowy ground beyond. After a few more moments of anxious waiting, Kai came charging through the fire with Alexia, and they both leapt up just as the entire doorway was consumed.

There was a slight explosion of flames, and all of them knew that it was too late for Tala.

Alexia, watching from the snow-covered ground, burst into tears. Kai, without thinking, put his arms around her as he watched the bonfire. 

"Tala…" Patrick muttered. He looked at Mike, who was standing nearby, his face all a shadow and his hand gripping his beyblade like he was going to break it.

Ray looked up at Zeus. "Come here, quick. Jade's unconscious." He looked back down at her, trying to wipe some of the soot off her face. And then he stopped when he saw a tear run down her cheek, and he thought, _Tala means so much to them… It's something that I won't understand until I lose a friend as dear as that… and somehow I don't want to…_

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Alexia: (wiping away the tears) I can't believe we didn't manage to get him back…

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Jade: (patting her shoulder) It's okay, Alexia…we'll get him back… somehow.

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Mike: (hiding his hand dripping in blood) I've had more than I could take of BIOVOLT. It's _war_ now.

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Patrick: Time to get serious now. We go out there and we fight. No matter who it is. It's crushing opponents all the way to the Finals.

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Jade: (eyes them warily) Okay… Things are getting…weird. (to the readers) Review, please!!


	13. Chapter Thirteen The Dawn of the Quarte...

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Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

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Patrick: I wonder what everyone will say when we get back…

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Mike: What we should think about is how to deal with tomorrow… The Quarter Finals are about to go on.

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Jade: But it looks like morale ain't too high…

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Alexia: I don't blame them. 

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Mike: Let's go, then—and let's just do our best. Everyone reading, Read and Review!!

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Dawn of the Quarter Finals

It was going past midnight. Lee paced around the front walk like a restless cat. They've sent the police away hours ago with their feigned 'overdoing of a beyblade match' to throw them off the scent of what happened. They were warned not to do it again, and the police left. So far there hasn't been any signs of those sent to rescue the girls.

After a moment, Kevin muttered, "Do you think…do you think they got caught too?"

__

"Shut up!" came the united chorus of everyone.

"Don't say things like that!" Emily exclaimed.

"But…Kevin does have a point…" said Eddy and everyone glared at him, but he continued. "Look, they're waltzing right into the Demolition Boys' territory. At BIOVOLT even! We'll have to consider that they might've been caught!"

"Well then what after that?" asked Mariah.

"For one thing, the Quarter Finals aren't going to go on as planned," said Enrique, and Robert snapped at him with such force, "It's not the time to joke about things like that!"

"I guess then it'll be up to us to stop the Demolition Boys," said Oliver. "But what _I'm _wondering is if we have enough power to do it. So far only the Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers seem to have that kind of potential." 

Robert then thundered, "What are you all doing—killing them off already?! Just wait for them to come back, will you?! It's like none of you believe in them! If you really think they have as much power as they do, then you'll all believe that they'll make it through that and come back!"

"He's right," said Michael. "Let's just wait a while longer."

There was silence that followed, and in a few moments, Lee stopped pacing and looked up. "They're coming."

"What?" they all asked. "I can't hear anything."

"Well _I _can," said Lee. "They're coming here right now."

Everyone leapt to their feet, and sure enough, at the road, the Bladebreakers' bus rode up and stopped. They waited anxiously, waiting for distinct figures to appear out of the mist. A few moments later, they all heard approaching footsteps, walking slowly.

And when the mists cleared, they saw them all approaching, all looking rather odd and darkened. Tyson and Max were limping, while Kai was holding up Alexia. Ray carried Jade, who still hadn't awakened.

The other beybladers hurried over to help them all out, all talking at the same time.

"You guys made it—it's unbelievable!" said Johnny.

"Yeah, what happened?" asked Emily.

Robert ran to Ray, and asked, "What happened to her, Ray?"

"It's all right," said Ray with a rather faint smile as he allowed Robert to carry Jade. "She just passed out in the fire, knocked up a bit…"

"Fire?" said Steve. "Is that where all those fire trucks that we saw awhile ago going?"

Tyson nodded dully. Mike and Patrick were unable to reply, but they saw that Mike's hand was bandaged, like something had cut right through it. It was his beyblade.

"Guys, what happened?" asked Lee.

There was a long pause, and Tyson, staring at his Dragoon, muttered, "It's…Tala."

"We couldn't save him…" said Max softly.

The beybladers all looked at each other. There was certainly nothing of what they expected.

There was a pretty long explanation that followed as everyone treated the injured in the All-Stars' hotel room—that place having the biggest area. It took some time—everyone, not counting Zeus and Kenny, _were_ injured in the blaze that still continued to twinkle from a distance if you looked out of a window.

After the long explanation, no one wanted to say much. No one _could_ say much. In fact, no one could say anything at all. It was simply too appalling, these odd twists of circumstance. Not a single one of the Relic Bladers had spoken through the entire explanation—Mike hadn't even blinked through it.

And then, Judy, who'd remained upstairs the entire time and was equally silent as the rest throughout the whole explanation, broke the ice. "So what do you all intend on doing about this now?"

Another long pause, and Mike murmured, with his eyes still shadowed, "The situation hasn't changed. We'll still have to defeat the Demolition Boys."

"Except now…Tala told us to," said Kai.

"That should be easy now, right?" said Mariah. "I mean, if Tala's on your side then he'll—"

Patrick flung his Armada and crashed right through a vase, shattering it to bits in his fury and he roared, "_Don't you get it?!_ Tala _can't help us!!_ He's still in BIOVOLT and now they'd do things to him worse than ever and he will—for a fact—not care a _single_ thing about us!!"

"Don't yell at her!" Lee thundered in defense of a shocked Mariah, leaping to his feet.

"I'll yell if I want to!" Patrick shot back. 

"_SHUT UP!!_"

They looked up and saw Kai, his eyes blazing. "Fighting won't do you any more good than walking up to BIOVOLT now and asking if they'll let Tala go willingly. Both of you shut up, simmer down, and get to thinking."

"About what?" asked Patrick, glaring.

"Just listen and sit down!" Mike snapped, and Patrick did as told.

Ray put a hand to his head and muttered to Robert, who was next to him, "We're going nowhere fast."

"Like we can go anywhere now," said Robert. He spoke up and said, "What Mike said is true. The situation hasn't changed. Tala is still on their side. We're still on this side. And we _still_ have to defeat the Demolition Boys. Except now, it looks like the stakes are higher. On the line now are our bit beasts, as well as Tala's life—and that stake _he_ might not even be aware about."

"The only thing we can do now then is to win," said Tyson, and they all looked at him. He blinked and said, "It's true, isn't it? The only way we can face the Demolition Boys is to win. The Quarter Finals are tomorrow. The Semi-Finals are the day after, and the Finals are two days from now."

Johnny snorted. "It's not like when we face off against each other, the other team would just move over."

"That's the point," said Zeus calmly. "If you want to win so badly, then no matter who you're up against, you fight them to your furthest extent of power. Otherwise…you know the consequences. The Dark Bladers already lost their bit beasts. And I think that all of you don't want to lose yours either."

"The only thing that matters now is that _one_ of us will eventually go against the Demolition Boys," said Mike. "And whoever they are, they're going to have to fight like crazy to win. We'll have to beat them down before they go any further. If not you know what happens. Only one can be left standing—and it can't be them, that's for sure."

"Well it's going to be us," said Michael with the rest of the All-Stars behind him.

"Or us," said Lee, challenging him with the other White Tigers.

"Or us," said Robert and the Majestics all grinned.

"Or us," said Tyson with the Bladebreakers standing with him.

"And it might be us too," said Mike as he and the Relic Bladers rose. "But whatever happens, let's go out there and beat those guys."

From the doorway, Mr. Dickinson nodded and silently walked away. _They're going on by themselves. And that's better than anything we can do for them… Good luck, all of you._

When dawn rose the next day, it seemed to be so bright and cheerful that it looked like it was covering up for what had happened that night. Or maybe it was merely inspired by the confidence and the determination of the teams who gave their pledges to their best last night.

Tyson stretched as he stood in front of the hotel with the rest of the Bladebreakers later on, as they were about to head for the Russian Tournament. "Looks like it's going to be a good day, guys."

"When have we ever been sure that it's going to be a good day?" laughed Max.

Ray looked at Kai and said, "Kai, are you still set on not participating today?"

And Kai gave him such a withering stare that Ray sighed. Obviously, the stinging of the past match still hadn't faded. Tyson resisted the urge to tease him about it—one of the few things that could make Kai cringe.

When they arrived at BIOVOLT stadium, for some reason, all the beybladers who'd previously lost were now watching them apprehensively.

"What's the matter with everybody?" asked Max. "Why are they staring at us?"

"Easy enough—one half is worried about who loses next—and loses their bit beast."

They looked up and turned, and saw Michael there with the other All-Stars. And Emily continued, saying, "And the other half is also the group counting on us—all of us, I expect—to bring back the bit beasts that they've already lost."

"Ah, more pressure," said Tyson sarcastically. "Just what I needed."

"You never quail under pressure," said Kenny.

"Yes I do! Sometimes."

"Now's not a good time, though," said Steve rather coolly. "I heard you're facing the Orient Pearls."

"So?" asked Tyson. "They're just a bunch of girls."

Emily puffed out. "Hey!"

"I mean really!" said Tyson, motioning to the Philippine team that stood not too far from them. "What harm could they do? I mean look at them!"

They looked. The Orient Pearls were all chatting to each other—one of them was braiding one of the others' long black hair with a white ribbon. And they were all giggling.

"What did I tell you," said Tyson. "They couldn't possibly be much."

Emily, turning purple, was about to open her mouth to speak but Michael cut in, saying, "I don't think you guys should underestimate them. They _did_ make it this far."

"Who said we were?" said Ray. "Look at Mariah. And Jade and Alexia. And Emily! It's just Tyson who thinks so."

"Jade, Alexia and Mariah are exceptions," said Tyson. "And so are you, Emily. As for the rest…"

Emily whirled around and stomped off. She went straight for the Orient Pearls. "What is she _doing_?" asked Steve, flabbergasted.

"Oh, Tyson, you should've just left it alone," said Max.

"Right, fine…I won't underestimate them…while they go braid their hair and chat…"

"Uh oh," said Max.

They looked up, and saw that the Orient Pearls and Emily were staring at them with rather peeved looks. Emily called Mariah over, who, intrigued, approached and was talked to, and then the girls began talking excitedly.

"Aw, man, now look at what's happened," groaned Ray, slapping a hand to his forehead. "Now things are just going to go down and down…"

Tyson, scenting danger, was chanting, "Don't let the Relic Bladers come, don't let the Relic Bladers come…"

"Hey, you guys!"

Tyson's hopes were quenched as Mike's voice sounded from behind the group. They turned around and saw the Relic Bladers standing there. Jade's head was bandaged, and so were Alexia's arms, and Mike's hands. Patrick's bandages were unseen.

"Jade!" said Ray, smiling. "How are you feeling? I was worried when you didn't wake up last night."

"Miserable…but tolerable," replied Jade as she touched the bandage wound around her forehead. "But I'm fine, Ray—so don't worry about it."

Kai looked at Alexia and opened his mouth to speak, but he shut it and turned away. Alexia smiled and said, "I felt better after last night."

"Hear that?" Max nudged Kai, who batted his elbow away and his face scarlet.

Mike asked, "So what's grouping up here for?" He looked at the All-Stars, who said, "Well…"

"Ahem."

Emily was behind Tyson and she pushed rather roughly past him and strode over to the two Relic Blader girls. "_Girls_," she said, emphasizing the word, "We have to talk."

And she grabbed their elbows and pulled them a little way off before they could say anything. Ray muttered to Tyson, "You _do_ know that this is your fault, don't you?"

Tyson got a sweatflood.

Emily whispered to the two for a few moments, and then the two looked shocked. "_What?_"

Emily nodded. "No way!" said Jade, her eyes wide.

"Yes," nodded Emily again, smirking at the boys. She whispered to them again and pointed to the Orient Pearls and Mariah, who nodded to them.

The two Relic Blader girls looked at the boys, frowning. "Wh-what?" asked Kenny.

The girls all looked at each other, and then they all strode to the Orient Pearls at the same time. As they fled, Mike was sincerely puzzled. "What went on there?!"

The Majestics arrived into the scene, and Oliver, seeing the girls all talking, asked, "What's going on? A sorority?"

"Tyson will explain," Kai said, pushing him forward.

And he did. As the girls continued to talk, Robert shook his head and said, "I would have to honestly say, Tyson, that was rather ungentlemanly of you."

"I know, I know…and I shouldn't have done it," said Tyson. "So should I go apologize?"

"Eh…now? Not a good idea," said Max. "Lookie yonder."

The boys all looked, and they saw that Estella of the Conquistadors and Tammy of the Afterburners hanging over the railing of the bleachers to talk with the group of girls. And they all looked up at the gang of boys with highly incensed looks on their faces. The boys all went, "Whoa…" and took a step back.

"You know I never noticed how scary girls could look like that," said Patrick. 

Kai snorted. "I'll have nothing to do with this—because I, for one, know exactly how good a girl can be."

"Because Estella there managed to somehow overpower you and made you dance when no one else can?" grinned Max. "And in the middle of a tournament, to be precise."

"Shut up!"

Robert rolled his eyes. "This is a right mess for you to be in."

"Us?" Ray looked at him. "Looks like you Majestics are in this too."

"Unlike the rest of you, _we_ know how to treat ladies properly," said Enrique, bowing like a courtier. 

"What was that?!" said Lee, walking over. "The rest of us know how to do that too. Why, what's with the girl talk over there? Is it a revolt or something?"

"Tyson here openly underestimated the Orient Pearls—because they were girls," said Michael. "And Emily got pretty peeved. Now all the girls over there are pretty much in a movement. Exactly what, we don't know."

"Surely just because Mariah's there doesn't mean that us White Tigers'll be in this too…right?" said Lee rather doubtfully.

"Well…I don't know, Lee," Ray sighed.

The tournament soon commenced. It was going to be held in only in this one center arena. It was the Demolition Boys VS the Olympian Blades, the Majestics VS the White Tigers, the Relic Bladers VS the All-Stars, and the Bladebreakers VS the Orient Pearls.

And as usual—the Demolition Boys went first.

"Oh—I can't look anymore," said Alexia, turning away at the second battle, which was lost once again by the Olympian Blades.

No one said anything—none of the Arcans could look either. It was just too painful as Ian took the spoils of his victory—stealing the defeated Greecian's bit beast.

"Is it over?" asked Patrick, wincing. "Gods, let it be."

"Just about," said Mike. "I can't stand it."

Jade said nothing, but was not facing the arena. _How could they be so wicked?_ she thought.

Alexia said, after Ian had successfully stolen the bit beast, "This is too much…" she looked at the Demolition Boys and said, "You guys…Tala isn't here."

"I've noticed," murmured Mike. "I wonder what they've—no. Let's not think about that. Let's just focus on this. The sooner we get through this, the sooner we save him."

He looked at his team and said, "Let's just take it easy, okay? The next battle is the Majestics versus the White Tigers." He did a double take at Jade. "Jade, are you all right? Your bandage—"

Zeus looked at her and stood up. "You're bleeding again—what happened?"

"I…don't know," Jade muttered, trying to touch the bandage. "My head just hurts…I guess that's it."

"Okay, don't touch it," said Zeus. "We have to change that bandage."

"We don't have any spares here," said Patrick.

Zeus got up and hurried to the nearest team—the Bladebreakers. "You guys," he said. "Do you have any bandages with you?"

"What for?" asked Max.

Zeus motioned to Jade, who was surrounded by her teammates. "She's bleeding again. She may have strained herself."

Ray instantly stood up. "We have some—in the locker room. Let's bring her there."

"Oh, anxious to help, are you, Ray?" said Tyson, smirking. "Mariah sure will be jealous…"

Ray was just about to open his mouth to speak but was interrupted. "Not by the way she's hanging out with Lee, she won't," Max said with a sick sweet smile on his face. 

They looked, and saw that Mariah _was_ talking to Lee rather animatedly, and this went vice versa as the two of them seemed…well…remarkably close.

"Well…good for them," said Ray. "I always knew Lee liked her… anyway…" He looked at Zeus, who nodded. "Come on, then."

Patrick said, "This is not good. I'll have to take her spot in the match. She can't exert herself more."

Ray came hurtling to them. "What happened?"

"Oh, I should've known it'd be you," said Mike, grinning, and Ray turned as scarlet as Mike's cap. "No worries—I'm not intending on teasing you."

"We have bandages in our locker room—we'll just take her there to bandage her and let her rest," said Ray. "Is that okay?"

"Right…" said Jade, sounding rather dizzy. "Just…bring me back by the time of the match?"

"Not happening," Patrick snorted. "We can't let you play like that."

"But—"

"No buts," said Mike. "Go on, Ray, Zeus. Just rest awhile, okay, Jade? Or Robert will have our heads on silver platters."

Ray helped Jade to her feet, and they slowly made their way across to the hall doors. Ray saw blood dripping down the side of Jade's face and he quickly took out a kerchief and put it on her wound to stop the flow. As they went on, Robert came charging to the Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers.

"What happened?" he asked, looking at his cousin.

"Don't worry—her wound just opened a bit," said Alexia.

"Yeah, Ray's all over it," said Tyson, smirking and jerking his thumb to their direction.

Robert raised an eyebrow and looked again to see that Ray was talking to Jade while putting a kerchief to her temple. He slowly allowed a small smile on his face. _So Ray's not too bad after all…_

"All right, then," said Robert looking rather satisfied. "I'll leave it to him—I have a match to tend to with Lee."

He walked off, looking somewhat happier, and Max blinked. "What was that about?"

Kai, who was watching the Demolition Boys, muttered, "Look at them. They look distracted and aren't paying attention. Twice, Ian lapsed in his fight."

"I've noticed too," said Kenny. "What could be bothering them?"

"Whatever it is…it should be pretty terrible…by the way it distracts them briefly," said Mike.

A scream of pain resounded throughout the room. A pale and quite beaten body fell to the floor on his stomach and did not move except for the rise and fall of his back due to labored breathing.

Two men roughly grabbed his arms and held him up again. Boris approached, looking particularly vindictive. "Now, Tala…you know that you should accept punishment…"

Tala said nothing. Boris watched him. _This is incredible… I've expected him to have been broken back to being a Demolition Boy by dawn. But he's still resolute._

"Tell us now, Tala—what is the composition of the Arcans' beyblades?" he thundered.

There was no reply. Tala was wincing, struggling violently within himself. Part of him was forcing him to speak while the other, once dormant and now awakened, cried out for him to keep silent. So it had ended up in a stalemate.

There was a deft movement of Boris' hand. The two men allowed an electric shock to pass through Tala's body yet again. Tala let out yet another scream. Boris waved his hand and the current stopped, and Tala fell again.

"Tell us now and we'll cease this torture."

The Demolition Boy in Tala was starting to win. His eyes were changing. But Tala was still struggling. He choked out in a hoarse voice as he panted, "I won't—I won't tell you!! Even if I did—even if I did, it won't matter!!"

"Oh?" Boris raised an eyebrow, pleased that Tala was finally breaking down and had at least started to speak. "And why…pray tell…is that?"

Tala coughed out and his saliva was mixed with blood. "Because—because that element can only be found in Arcanis—and nowhere else!" He forced a smirk through his agony as he tried to push himself up. "Now don't you wish you took the time to extract information from me before you brainwashed me?"

"Insolence…it won't be tolerated," Boris fumed. "Again!"

And once again, another violent shock, and there was another scream. Tala fell a final time, and did not move. Boris looked to the men who had held the boy up, and one said, "He's unconscious, sir."

"Take him to the tank," said Boris impatiently. "Make sure that every sympathy and concern for his homeland is wiped out. Every last one! Turn Tala into the soldier that he is!"

"Yes, sir."

They took Tala's lifeless body and brought him out of the room. Boris was still fuming. _Insolent boy… he knows that he's won a small victory. He won't be able to remember the makeup of the beyblades when we're done with him, and so that's why he never told what it was. But then again…if the element can only be found in Arcanis…then there is no way…_

Boris brushed himself off and said to himself, _No matter. We can certainly find something to counter that unique strength._ He hurled himself to the computers nearby and thundered, "Did you boys hear all that? You know what awaits you if you fail the next time, or if any treachery is done. This will learn you that I'm not afraid to torture any of you to death—especially since you are subordinates of your broken captain."

Ian put a hand to his sweating temple and leaned back in his seat. "It's…over."

"At last," said Spencer.

Bryan was silent. Ian glanced at him and said, "I forgot. You like the torture of others."

"Others…lesser weaklings…" Bryan muttered. "It should've amused me, what torture that Boris made us listen to all night and all this morning… But it did not…not as much as I expected."

"I suppose it's because it depends on who gets tortured…" said Spencer.

"This was different," Bryan nodded slowly. "It was Tala… Someone who I never expected to be tortured so… Our captain. I expected _him_ to do the torturing…"

"It only means that Boris really _will_ have us dead if he wanted…" Ian murmured. "If he did it to Tala…the most prized member of us Demolition Boys…"

"I kind of wish that he didn't make us listen to it," said Spencer. "It was terribly distracting…and more than it should've…"

Ian shook his head and took out his earpiece, resolute. "Now we really _have_ to win. You heard what Boris said. Failure equals that."

Bryan nodded. After a moment, he said, "I never expected Tala to go that long without breaking down."

"I think it's because he has something we don't," said Ian.

"What's that?" asked Spencer.

Ian said, after a long moment, and he looked out to the Relic Bladers from where they stood next to the Bladebreakers. "People who really came after him."

Spencer and Bryan, though they said nothing, understood what Ian meant.

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Alexia: (clenches her fist) I can't take this anymore…

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Mike: (furious) I'm restraining myself from yelling out blasphemy for this fic's rating…

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Patrick: (jaw dropped) They're going to far with him…

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Mike: We're going to have to win… in spite of the female movement building up.

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Alexia: Hey!

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Mike: What? (to the readers) Review, everybody!!


	14. Chapter Fourteen Relic Bladers VS AllSt...

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Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

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Mike: Well…thirteen chapters…six reviews. Huh. I wonder why people haven't been reviewing…

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Patrick: Maybe they ought to tell us if they don't like how the story's going…

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Alexia: Come on, you guys, it's nearly time for our battle!

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Patrick: (swinging his scythe) I better get myself ready…

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Mike: We're facing the All-Stars. This is going to be tremendous… They've done a lot of work.

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Alexia: Let's see if all the work we've done and they've done pays off. Everybody, read and Review, please!!

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Relic Bladers VS All-Stars

"Ouch."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"No, it's all right."

Ray loosened the bandage slightly. "How is that?"

"Yes, that's better, thank you," replied Jade as she held one side of the bandage with her hand. She looked up at a sudden roar from the crowd. "Looks like things are heating up out there. I wonder who's up…"

As if to answer her question, Zeus walked in, smiling and said, "It's Robert versus Lee."

"How are the stands?" asked Ray.

"It's one win each team, and whoever wins this last round goes into the Semi-Finals," said Zeus. "Gary had pretty much clobbered Oliver in the first round, but Oliver did put a tremendous fight. Gary suddenly went crazy, though…"

Ray laughed. "I bet Oliver made him laugh and he was hungry again."

"Oh so is _that_ what it was?" said Zeus, grinning as he pushed up his glasses. "Anyway, to make up for things, Johnny had trounced Kevin in the second one…"

"Whoa, hold on," said Ray. "Mariah didn't play?"

"They take shifts," said Zeus. "Mariah already played yesterday. But Kevin _was_ remarkable then, to hold out against Johnny as much as he did, and Johnny just got the better of him."

"And so now it's my cousin Robert against Lee," said Jade, smiling.

"Yeah," said Zeus. "I don't know which one to root for. I think they're both incredibly skilled." And then he smirked and asked, "Who are _you guys_ rooting for?"

Both of them opened their mouth to speak, but they looked at each other, and were somehow unable to say anything. "Uh…" they both said, slowly turned back to Zeus.

Zeus smirked, "Trouble deciding too? Oh I'm sure the other won't be _too_ upset…"

The two went scarlet and as a cheer rose up from outside, Zeus straightened up and said, "Well, there's a ruckus out there and I intend to watch—Ray, please finish up for me. I'll tell you what happened when I come back."

And he left the locker room. The two were silent awhile and Ray wound the bandage carefully. Then Jade said, "I can finish up by myself, Ray—I'm all right. You can go watch if you want. I know that you want to go see how the White Tigers are doing."

Ray looked at her and smiled. "No, that's all right. I'm sure that whoever wins between the two deserves to win, and I know that the White Tigers put their full force to it." He finished the bandage, and said, "There. That should do."

"Well then I guess the both of us can go watch now, right?" said Jade, suddenly getting up, and making Ray get up with her. 

"Jade…are you sure?" asked Ray doubtfully.

"Well of course I'm sure," said Jade, walked two steps and then tripping, and Ray held her steady. Ray frowned and said, "No, I think you're still a little dizzy. You should just stay here and rest—I'll watch you."

Jade looked up at him for a moment and said, "Ray…really. I'm fine."

"You're not. I knew they brought you out here too soon."

"Well…I don't want to keep you here. I know you really want to see what's going on out there! It's the White Tigers."

"Yes, I _do_ want to see it—but I know that you want to see it too. I'll give you company."

"No, I can stay by myself."

Ray laughed. "Not happening. Look, I promised Robert I'd take care of you, and I'll do that." He made her sit down. After a few moments of silence, Jade said, "Oh just take me to the infirmary, Ray, please? It's making me feel worse keeping you here."

Ray sighed. "Just lie down and rest."

"But—"

"Please, Jade," and now he looked rather serious as he looked down at her and said it. "I'm not leaving. And that's the end of it."

Jade sighed and closed her eyes. There was a very long silence. And Jade said, "Thank you, Ray."

He just smiled, cradling her head on his lap. Another pause followed, and Jade's Arcan pin suddenly crackled to life. Zeus suddenly spoke, saying, "Lee's winning, you guys!"

Jade nearly sat up with a start if Ray hand pushed her back down. Jade slipped the pin off her jacket and said, "Zeus?! But I thought my pin was broken."

"I replaced it this morning," said Zeus. "So now you'll know what's going on! It's been an eternally long fight, I'll give you that."

"W-what was the last thing you said?" Ray asked, now unable to hold back his excitement.

"Lee's winning!" said Zeus. "His Galeon is straining well against Robert's Griffolyon!"

Ray very nearly pumped his fist into the air, but he saw Jade looking at him and he checked himself, muttering, "Well…the match…hasn't…finished…yet. He—Robert could win," he added with a shrug.

Jade burst into laughter and said, "It's all right, Ray—I know you're a White Tiger at heart."

Ray blushed and Zeus said, "Oh, don't cheer yet, Ray, looks like Griffolyon's fighting back and just forced Galeon away." At this, Jade grinned at Ray, who just laughed.

"All right…they're rounding the Kremlin arena…" said Zeus. "It's been going on for forever, I swear… Oh no, wait—they're at each other's throats again…" they heard a crash from the background and both Robert and Lee's voices roaring out the names of their bit beasts.

"Wing Dagger!!" Robert could be heard yelling as Lee followed with a, "Black Lightning!!"

"Oh, man…" said Ray. "Here it goes…"

There was a powerful resounding crash heard from the pin and from the direction of the arena. Zeus was saying, "You guys, wait a while—we were blinded when the bit beasts crashed and we can't see what the heck happened…"

They waited with bated breath. And then Zeus said, "Oh, I can't believe this! They're both still spinning! They're going!"

"No way!" said Jade, her eyes wide.

"No, no wait! They're both weakened…it's whoever drops first…still spinning…and they're teetering… Someone's _got_ to stop already… And it's…it's…" There was an instant uproar and Zeus said, "It's Lee! Lee dropped off first! _Robert and the Majestics win_!!"

Ray, regardless that his favored team had been defeated by a stroke of ill luck, smiled at Jade and said, "That's great! The Majestics won!"

But Jade wasn't smiling. She was suddenly horrified as she sat up. "Oh…oh no…" She struggled to get up.

"Jade, what are you doing?!" said Ray, trying to stop her and failing.

And Jade spoke breathlessly, "Ray—the White Tigers! They lost the match! Do you know what that means?!"

Ray felt his the hairs at the back of his neck stand upon realization. "Oh…no…"

"We have to stop them before it happens!" said Jade, heading for the door. "The Demolition Boys will take all the White Tigers' bit beasts!"

Ray leapt up as Jade went to the door, and he leapt at her, and she collapsed to the ground. "Jade, you can't go anywhere!" said Ray. "Stay here!"

"But Ray!"

"I'll go! Just stay here, okay?" and Ray, his heart pounding, flew out of the room. He ran on and on, looking for the White Tigers, until he spotted them walking at a hall that intersected wit the on he was in.

"You guys!" Ray cried.

They looked at him in surprise, and just as they did, Ian's voice sounded in the hall. "Hello, losers."

The White Tigers all looked up and saw the Demolition Boys standing in front of them. Lee stood in front of his group, knowing that it was time for them to pay the price of defeat within BIOVOLT arena. "You can't have our bit beasts!" Lee thundered.

"Wanna bet?" said Spencer, taking out his beyblade, and the White Tigers' bit beasts slowly began to emerge from their beyblades.

"No!" Mariah shrieked.

"Demolition Boys!!"

Ray rushed to the scene, holding his launcher and ripcord. He charged in, ready to fire at the Demolition Boys, and Lee suddenly knocked his aimed beyblade down. "Ray, don't!" Lee said. "If you fight, you'll lose and Driger will be taken away too!"

"But Lee—"

"It's all right, Ray," said Gary in that slow voice. "We knew this was going to happen…and we tried really hard to win."

"But this is the price all the ones who lost paid," said Lee. "And it'll be ours to pay too."

"How touching," snorted Ian. "Let's get these bit beasts!"

The Demolition Boys all held out their beyblades, and the bit beasts began to burst out of the White Tigers' beyblades in bursts of bright light. "Galix!" Mariah cried. 

"Galzzy!" Gary moaned and Kevin murmured, "Galman…"

Lee was trying to keep it in, and finally cried, "No—Galeon!!"

Ray clenched his fists and tried to block his sight from it. _No…my friends…I can't help them! I can't save their bit beasts! What…what should I do?!_

And then right at that instant, there was a scream of rage from the hall Ray just came from. Ian looked up with a gasp, and stepped back quickly as three arrows came shooting right at him, and embedded in the wall at his most previous position. The last one even skimmed the rim of his headgear.

Ian, who'd moved back so fast, fell down with a crash. The White Tigers, frankly stunned, now turned to look as the bit beasts paused in their wake with the Demolition Boys put incapacitated for a moment.

Jade was standing fifty paces away, breathing hard and with another arrow fitted to her bowstring. Sweat was dripping down her temple as she forced herself up. Bryan snarled, "Back off!!"

"Not a chance!" said Jade, firing again and again, and three more arrows pelted the Demolition Boys' way. Ian skidded out of the way with Spencer and the arrows hit the wall again. Bryan snarled angrily and raised his gun. Ray's heart stopped.

"_Jade!!_" he cried.

Bryan fired, and Jade leapt across the hall to evade, and crashed into the wall. She stifled a moan in pain and pushed off, and Ray was racing towards her as he saw blood dripping down again.

"Finish the job!" Bryan barked. Ian and Spencer instantly stole back the bit beasts of the White Tigers. The vivid bit beasts got sucked into the bit pieces just as Ray reached Jade and threw himself next to her and held her. "Jade! Jade, are you all right?"

Jade looked up at him, wincing, and then saw Bryan still aiming the gun. "Ray—look out!!"

Ray turned with a gasp as he saw the gun, and grabbed Jade to shield her from any gunfire. There was the sudden rain of firing, and both expected the worst, but there was a blast of light and the fire of sharp air bullets was knocked away. "What the—" Bryan muttered.

Appalled, the two of them slowly looked up. A gleaming magenta light was in front of them, and a huge turtle bit beast stood over them. "Hey, it's Draciel…" said Ray. He looked up, and saw Max standing in the hall.

"Just in time, Draciel!" said Max, grinning. He looked to Ray. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah…" murmured Ray.

There was the roar of Griffolyon as the bit beast charged down the hall and headed for Bryan, who fled with the rest of the Demolition Boys to the other hall, upon finishing their job.

Robert looked particularly furious and yet incredibly composed. Max and he called back their bit beasts, and the Majestics and Bladebreakers came up behind the two as Robert bent down next to his cousin and Ray.

"What happened?" asked Oliver.

"She tried to stop them from getting our bit beasts," said Mariah, walking over with the White Tigers. "But Bryan fired at her."

"He didn't fire live bullets," said Max. "Looked more like bursts of air or maybe air bullets or something—I don't think they're allowed to have real guns."

"You guys are okay, right?" said Tyson.

Robert looked down at Jade, who had fallen asleep. He looked up at Ray, who looked at him and said, "I'm sorry…if I wasn't able to protect her properly."

Robert shook his head. "No. You did extremely well, Ray. My cousin is just too headstrong sometimes. It's hard to stop her when she's determined."

"Kind of like you, eh, Ray?" said Lee, grinning at Ray, who smiled back.

"Let's take her to the infirmary," said Kai. "And it'd be better if the Relic Bladers weren't distracted for the time being by telling them about this—they're about to have their battle with the All-Stars."

"Right," said Robert. "I'll take her there. Ray, you and the Bladebreakers go back out there. You guys are playing after the All-Stars versus the Relic Bladers are done."

"Well…are you sure she's going to be okay?" Ray asked.

And Robert smiled. "Yes, she will. I'll take care of her now. You did a fine job. We'll see you later."

And with that, the Majestics, with Robert carrying Jade, headed for the infirmary. As they went out of earshot, Ray let out his breath and looked around at his friends. They were all smirking at him—minus Mariah, whose eyes were rolled to the sky.

"What?" asked Ray.

"Ah, yes," said Tyson, smirking. "Robert has finally let you have it."

"What are you talking about?" asked Ray.

"Come on, Ray, it's obvious," said Kenny, grinning. "He's practically given you permission to sweep his cousin of her feet. 'You did a fine job', he says. That's all you need to hear from him, really."

"I don't know what the heck you all are trying to say," said Ray, turning magenta. He looked to Lee and said, "They're not making sense, right Lee?"

"Perfect sense, actually," Lee smirked at him.

"Not you too…"

After a moment, Mariah cleared her throat and said importantly, "Well _I _think it's cute."

Everyone looked at her in surprise, and Mariah reddened only so slightly. Ray blinked, quite surprised, and asked, "Really? You do?"

Mariah rolled her eyes and shrugged, turning away as she said, "Well…sure I do. I guess." She paused and then grinned. "Yeah. Sure I do."

Ray smiled, and Kevin said, "Hey Lee, why are you grinning?"

Lee flushed scarlet. "What? Is it a crime to smile now?"

"Oooh…" everyone—minus Kai, of course—chorused, and Lee yelled, "Everybody just pipe down and let's go see the game of the All-Stars versus the Relic Bladers already. That should be something interesting."

"Right, okay…" said Tyson. "If Lee is so desperate to avoid this subject then let's go."

Alexia turned around as the whole gang came back into the arena. "Where've you all been?" she asked.

"We, uh…tried to save the White Tigers' bit beasts," said Max. "Sorry."

Mike spotted Ray amongst them and asked, "Hey, you're back. Where's Jade?"

"Ah…um…Robert's keeping an eye on her," said Ray, thinking fast and smiling. "He said it was okay because I had to tend to my fight. Besides, I wanted to watch you guys. So I could tell Jade later."

"Okay…" said Alexia, looking slightly suspicious but not saying anything more. 

Zeus said nothing. He obviously knew what was going on, but also said nothing. He knew that the other Relic Bladers needn't be unnecessarily concerned right now. Not when the match was going on. Patrick was in the middle of a battle between himself and Steve. Obviously, the Russians had given them once again the Midnight Diamond bowl—there was no other bowl that could stand the Arcan beyblades as of yet.

Steve had Tryhorn running circles around Patrick before slamming him, and Armada pitched off to one side of the bowl, but was still going. Sparks flew as Armada went in a chase after Tryhorn and slammed into it. Tryhorn flew back, wobbled, but kept going.

Judy let out her breath. _That was close. _"You're doing well, Steven—keep it up!"

"All right, then—go rapid on this guy, Tryhorn!" Steve commanded, and the beyblade began doing zigzag movements straight at Armada. "Go, Tryhorn!! Stampede Rush!!" 

The bit beast came stampeding—literally, out of the beyblade and was soon charging at relentless speed. Steve figured that if he hit Patrick hard enough, his beyblade would be forced to fly out of the arena, or, if not, would sufficiently weaken him to make the beyblade stop spinning.

"Patrick, watch out!" said Mike.

Patrick snorted and said, "I've three words for you Steve!"

"Oh yeah? What's that?" he asked.

Patrick swished his scythe around as he yelled, "Great White Wave!!"

Armada suddenly shimmered and began to look like it was multiplying, moving in such speed. It then began to rush forward at such ferocity, that white shimmering sparks were flying behind every single after-image blade that it looked like the 'beyblades' were causing one great wave behind them.

Steve took a step back with a gasp. Emily exclaimed, "The beyblades! They look like sharks storming in the water!!"

Patrick laughed. "You got it, then."

"Steve, mind the beyblades!" said Judy. "There's only one that could be the real one!"

"Right," nodded Steve as the wave continued to give chase, but then Patrick instantly said, "Oh yeah? Well I've got news for you, Stevie boy."

And the sharks all suddenly ran up at Tryhorn, all of them crashing and tearing, not at the same time, but one after the other in rapid succession, and bits of Tryhorn were starting to scatter. Patrick exclaimed, "All of them are real!!"

"That's incredible," said Kenny. "His beyblade, even though it must weigh so much—it can still move so fast to be able to make each after image have impact!"

"Whoa, what a move!" said Max, aghast.

Tryhorn flew out of the stadium in a shower of sparks and, quite certainly battered, landed at Steve's feet.

DJ leapt up into the air. "The winner!! Patrick of the Relic Bladers!!"

There was an instant uproar in the stands. There was undeniable proof right there that the Relic Bladers were certainly skilled in their craft. Such a move was practically inconceivable to most beybladers.

Patrick waited and his Armada then shot back at him. It was rather odd, because the beyblade even seemed to be like it was alive, excited at the win. It leapt out of the stadium, and Patrick fell right over at the force of its inertia and weight.

Mike laughed and walked to him, pulling him up. "Well done, Pat. You did well."

"Yeah, but did you have to use your special move so soon?" asked Alexia.

"What can I do?" said Patrick, shrugging. "The All-Stars are good."

Mike smiled. "Yeah, I guess you have a point, there."

DJ began jumping up and down. "All right! This looks like an extremely interesting match! Both teams are quite well matched! And now! Bladers, bring in your next players!"

Alexia looked at Mike. "Aw, do I really _have_ to go? I don't feel like blading today…my arms are still stinging from the fire, Mike."

"Huh?" Mike stared at her and scratched his head. "Oh man… I'm really sorry, Alexia. But it looks like you have to… Jade was supposed to play today…"

"You can let me go again," said Patrick hopefully, anxious to have another go and give Armada exercise.

"No," said Mike, shaking his head. "You've done enough for today, Pat."

From the All-Stars, Eddy picked up Trypio, and, after making sure that everything about it was satisfactory and grinned. "So I'm next, right?"

And then, before Judy could speak, Emily cleared her throat and said, "Judy, might _I_ please be allowed to go next?"

Judy was quite surprised. "Well…Emily, isn't this quite a sudden decision?"

Eddy leapt to his feet, "Hey wait! I'm supposed to play next!"

Michael elbowed him sharply through the ribs and muttered by the corner of his mouth, "_Ed-dy_!"

"What?" asked Eddy, and he looked at Emily, who looked rather irritable. She gave him a sharp, narrow-eyed look and Eddy got a sweatdrop. 

Emily turned back to Judy. "Well?"

"Well…sure, Emily," said Judy hesitantly. "If…Eddy doesn't mind, of course…"

All eyes turned to Eddy. "But…" Michael gave him a look, and muttered just enough for Eddy to hear, "Be. A. Gentleman."

"Michael…" Eddy wasn't liking this very much, but Steve said, "Come on, you saw how peeved Emily was. This'll cool her head about the thing."

Eddy let out his breath and said in a flat, mechanical tone, "I would be glad to let Emily play in my place, Judy."

Emily's face broke into a smile, saying, "That's great!" She picked up her racquet and Trygator and said, "Thank you, Eddy. Well—let's go!"

And she skipped over to the bowl. Eddy sighed, and Michael said, "Trust me, buddy—this does you more good than you think."

"Yeah, well…I guess Emily deserved to get to play," said Eddy. "She _has_ been helping us a lot."

Emily stood ready. "All right! Who's your player?"

Mike, who was in heated conference with the others, looked up at DJ and said, "DJ—give us a minute! We have some trouble."

DJ blinked and said, "I see. All right—we'll allot a few moments, Relic Bladers."

Mike turned back to his group. "Well?"

"Well…I guess I could," said Alexia hesitantly.

"But if she's still burned…" said Patrick, eyeing her. "Are you _really_ burned or you really don't want to play?"

"Pretty much both," said Alexia dispiritedly. "You guys, I know that it's a little selfish, but I don't think I can play to my fullest extent. Not when I'm still so bothered about what happened with Tala yesterday. I can still hear him…"

Zeus looked at them. "She's got a point. It's risky to put a beyblader that isn't concentrating out there. The All-Stars are too good."

"But who will take Jade's place?" asked Patrick.

The Bladebreakers were looking rather stunned as they continued to debate. "What are they fussing about over there?" asked Tyson.

"Looks like Alexia can't play," said Max, glancing back, and Kai whipped his head over to their direction. "What?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Kenny. "And they're debating who plays next."

"Is that such a problem?" asked Ray. "Why don't they send Mike out?"

Kenny shook his head. "I heard from Zeus that part of the Arcans' tactic is to limit Mike's playing time as much as possible. He's sort of like an un-secret weapon."

"So…who plays?" asked Kenny.

Zeus finally spoke up. "I'll play."

They all stared at him. "What?"

Zeus looked rather calm about the whole deal. "I don't mind. I wanted to battle anyway. I haven't done so in some time, you understand."

Mike blinked. "O-Oh. I see. Sure."

When it was Zeus who stepped forward for the Relic Bladers, there was a ripple of murmur from the stands, and everyone was quite surprised.

Brad Best exclaimed, "And what's this? It looks like the Relic Bladers are sending out their manager, Zeus into the match!"

AJ Topper added, "I must say that there has never been a chance that we see Zeus on action before. He usually stays at the sidelines, keeping an eye on his charges. But rumor has it that he does have a beyblade and a bit beast Amaranthine."

"Let's see if the rumors are well-founded, then," said Brad Best.

Emily blinked upon laying eyes on him and said, "Well. An unknown opponent."

Zeus smiled and bowed cordially like a courtier. "Hello, Miss Emily. I must say I'm honored to be an opponent of such a worthy adversary."

Emily brightened, pointed to Zeus and said to the boys—Tyson most especially, "You guys! See that? You guys should be more like that, you know?"

"_Yeah_!" came the chorus of all the girls who were in the gathering awhile ago. All the beyblader boys looked at each other and blinked incredulously.

"Aw, Zeus…" said Mike, slapping a hand to his forehead as Patrick groaned. Alexia bristled, saying to nobody in particular, "She's right, you know. Guys should be gentlemen to ladies sometimes if not all the time."

Kai raised his eyebrows upon hearing this and looked at the other Bladebreakers, who just shrugged and said, "You heard the lady."

Kai just snorted indifferently and looked off and Max grinned, "Or are you and Ray on the clear on that already?"

"Oh shush," Kai snapped flaring slightly.

Emily tossed her beyblade on one hand, preparing to launch, and Zeus suddenly whipped out a long baton that was an inch or two taller than he was. It was his weapon and his launcher—a bo, and he attached a gold-colored beyblade on it. His beyblade seemed slightly bulkier than the rest, with massive sharp metal points around the attack ring that split out as three groups of blades. The defense ring was also adorned in small sharp vertical blades.

"Well there you have it," said Lee, motioning to the bo while turning to the other White Tigers. "That's_ their_ thing. All of them have weapons of a sort."

DJ, rather interested now, trumpeted, "All right!! Both players are in—Emily of the All-Stars versus Zeus of the Relic Bladers! Bladers ready—three, two, one—_let it rip!!_"

"Go Trygator!!" Emily cried she raised her racquet and made a perfect serve of her beyblade into the midnight diamond bowl. 

Zeus twirled and swung the bo before giving it a powerful swing at the beyblade and it flew into the bowl. "Go Amaranthine!!" he cried.

Both beyblades hit the arena right on the mark. The greenish Trygator seemed unsure of its movement for a time, because Emily had never seen Zeus play before and thereby didn't know what moves to take. Zeus, on the other hand, was rather calm although he didn't know exactly how good Emily can be, either.

Emily said, "Go on, Trygator! Take him down!"

Trygator came rushing at Amaranthine, and it crashed with powerful impact at the gold beyblade, and hung on, keeping on knocking into Amaranthine in attempt to throw it off course.

Zeus smiled. "You're very good, Miss Emily. However…"

The gold beyblade rushed forward in such speed that Trygator was unable to catch. And to everyone's surprise, Amaranthine began to circle menacingly around Trygator.

"However I have a few tricks of my own," he finished. "Gale Force Eternal!!"

A powerful blast of indigo light lit, and the gold beyblade began to spin faster and circle around Trygator so that Trygator soared into the air, Amaranthine flying along after it.

Emily gasped. "It's—it's a hawk! It's a hawk going after prey!"

Michael stepped forward, aghast. "If he keeps that up, Trygator would be flung clear off the arena!"

Emily stared anxiously, and an idea came to her. The problem was if she could maneuver… _If it's like a water current then Amaranthine should be unstable enough to land a good hit in the air and Trygator can maneuver well …_ "Trygator! Chase it and go snap at it!"

The Trygator in the air sank and dashed down with the weight Emily had put on it, running through the air like an alligator in water, and the beyblade impacted with a crash on its end at Amaranthine's wing-like attack ring. The wind flailed, as Amaranthine's spinning was the fan that powered it and Emily's attack rendered it incapacitated for a moment.

But as both beyblades had been going wildly in their air, Trygator's hit forced Amaranthine off, and the recoil of the hit also flung Trygator off. Everyone waited anxiously, and both beyblades went into crash-down outside the arena in front of their respective beybladers.

A roar of cheer and applause rang all over the stadium. Zeus picked up his Amaranthine and said, "Impressive tactical maneuver, Miss Emily."

"Well…you're good too!" said Emily, grinning.

DJ crowed, "It's a draw for the second match!!"

The All-Stars all ran out to meet Emily as she returned. "Well done, Emily!" said Judy. "You adapted well to an unknown opponent."

"Yeah," said Eddy. "If it was me, I would've been completely dumbfounded on what to do, really."

"Thanks," said Emily, smiling. "I knew I could make a stand there. About time I did too!"

Michael just sighed and shook his head and looked back to the Relic Bladers dug out. Zeus had just been returning, and he was shaking his head but smiling all the same. "Yes, I know. I'm quite out of practice. I could improve, but I'd rather stay out of the action."

"Well…if you say so," said Mike, shrugging. "Job well done, anyway—it's time for my bout." He looked up and locked eyes with a grinning Michael.

Alexia looked up and said, "Remember, Mike—if you lose there's going to be another sudden-death match to settle."

"We'll see who gets a sudden death," said Mike, smirking as he walked out to the arena.

Everyone once again burst to applause as both beybladers walked out into the arena, as everyone knew that both were two of the most skilled beybladers in the tournament. Tyson leaned forward in his seat. "Oh, this looks really good!"

"I don't know…" said Ray doubtfully. "Didn't you see Mike's moves during the rescue operation yesterday?"

Tyson had instant flashbacks of what had happened then, and Mike's massive bit beast. Although he didn't see it too clearly, he knew that it was large and silver-colored, and it seemed like a large wolf. "Well…how do you think Michael will do?"

Kenny murmured, "I'd hate to say it…but we know exactly how powerful Michael can go. We haven't exactly seen Mike's full force. But if Michael had powered up his beyblade and had pumped up in the span of time we haven't seen him, then he may just be a match."

"For the third round!" DJ said, "Michael, captain of the All-Stars versus Mike, captain of the Relic Bladers! Bladers, are you ready?"

Michael transferred the ball to his right hand. "I know you—I'm not taking any chances with _you_ that's for sure. Not when you're a captain like you are."

Mike drew out his rip-sword and loaded it to his DX - catapult launcher. "So I won't with you either."

The Relic Bladers looked at each other at this pronouncement. "Zeus?" asked Patrick.

Zeus pushed up his glasses. "Let him. He should be given a chance to stretch full force anyway—and I'll be upgrading again so…"

DJ raised up his hand. "Three—two—one—_let it rip!!_"

With a yell, Michael threw the ball, and the ball ripped out so fast and Trygle burst out of the ball, going flying into the arena. But the moment it soared the air, a massive silver beyblade slammed it and sent it crashing into the arena wall but kept spinning. Archonwolf clanked to the arena and chased.

"What the—" Michael stepped back.

"I didn't see him rip!!" Kenny leapt to his feet. "How did Mike do that?!"

All eyes turned to Mike, whose eyes were blazing. "I'll respond to that challenge, Michael—and I hope you won't mind if I exert all my pent-up fury into fighting you." He raised up his rip-sword and yelled, "_Go Archonwolf!!"_

There was an instantaneous howl of a wolf that resounded through the arena and Archonwolf hurtled after Trygle, trailing sparks all the way.

"Michael, be careful!" Judy exclaimed.

"Defend, defend!" exclaimed Max, leaping to his feet in excitement.

Michael flung up his arms in defense as Archonwolf crashed into Trygle. Both beyblades were straining against each other, but almost instantly, Mike was getting the better of Michael.

"Don't force it, Michael—Trygle will break at that force Mike's pouring at you!" Emily cautioned.

"Didn't you reinforce?!" Michael asked.

"I did! But Trygle isn't built for long term defense against an attack like that!"

"Pull away!" Michael commanded, and Trygle instantly broke free from Archonwolf's grasp. And Michael then quickly summoned his bit beast for the kill. "Trygle!!"

The golden bald eagle bit beast came screeching out of the beyblade and proceeded to go on attack at Archonwolf. More than obviously, Michael was playing his trump card, and Mike would be beaten.

But Mike also had a trump card to play. Swishing his katana, he yelled, "Spark Barrier!!"

There was a rumbling sound of a massive electric buildup from above. A powerful blast of lightning and thunder cracked down from above and impacted the silvery beyblade and burst into sparks. Quite a number of people shrieked in astonishment at the sudden blast. Impacting the beyblade, as Trygle approached, the eagle bit beast was drawn back in alarm as a swirling barrier made of the lightning's blinding sparks swirled around Archonwolf like a tornado. A towering silver wolf stood over the beyblade.

The wolf snapped ferociously at Trygle, who shrieked and flew back a moment. Michael was quite stunned and so was everyone watching.

"That lightning!" said Kenny. "That _is_ Mike's move! Isn't that the element he used the very first time we met him?"

"So all this time he hadn't even been serious?!" said Tyson. "That's amazing!"

"I think he's just angry," said Ray. "But he's using his anger and determination to feed the power of his blade."

"Michael is going to lose this match," muttered Kai.

From the All-Star dug-out, things were crazy. "Judy!" Emily cried, checking all the computers surrounding her. "Meters are going off scale! What should we do?"

"There is nothing we _can_ do!" said Judy. "This is too unexpected!"

"Oh yeah?!" said Mike, grinning. "Well you haven't seen anything yet, then, so it's too early to be surprised!" He turned to the wolf in front of him. "Archonwolf—_go offensive_!!"

The wolf snarled and howled. The attack ring's blades extended with a sudden metal sound and began to conduct a massive volt of electricity on each of the tip of the two blades. The beyblade was struck again in blinding force, and the barrier began to swirl around Archonwolf rapidly, but began to compress, turning into one, huge blast of lightning force rearing to strike Trygle, who now had no escape. 

Mike gave a yell, "_Voltage Fang!!"_

There was a crack of thunder that resounded all over the stadium. The eruption of lightning leapt up like a bounding wolf, and made direct impact on the American's beyblade as Archonwolf bit at Trygle. The silver beyblade took to the air in a sudden discharge of energy and crashed at Trygle, bringing with it the force and power of the lightning.

The force of lightning was so strong that Trygle actually blasted off the midnight bowl, and flew out like a jolting rocket. 

Michael, still gathering his wits about in the brilliant dimming light, tried to catch it with an ungloved hand, but immediately gasped and dropped Trygle, shocked with electricity. As Trygle clattered to the ground, sparks of electricity going around it, the light from Archonwolf dimmed, and Mike was slightly panting.

"Good work, Archonwolf," he muttered, smiling slightly, and Archonwolf gave an almost friendly bark and disappeared in a flash of silver back into the beyblade, that continued to spin on the arena.

"That was amazing!!" DJ exclaimed. "And the winner is Mike of the Relic Bladers!! The Relic Bladers move to the Semi-Finals!!"

The arena, after a slight awestruck silence, burst into earth-shattering applause and cheering. Michael, stunned, picked up his beyblade with his gloved hand. The other All-Stars ran to him anxiously. "Are you all right, Michael?" Judy asked.

"F-fine," Michael stammered, still staring at Mike and rather literally thunderstruck. The beyblade rushed back at Mike, and was knocked off his feet with the power as well. 

As he fell to the ground, suddenly laughing, the other Relic Bladers ran at him. "You did it, Fearless Leader—you did it!" said Alexia, grinning at him.

"That was great!" said Patrick. "That ought to learn them big time!"

Mike got to his feet and just grinned as the Relic Bladers were still jumping at him. Even Zeus looked immensely pleased. Suddenly, there was a yell of delight and Jade leapt at all of them, and they all crashed to the floor.

"Jade!" Mike exclaimed in a muffled voice from beneath the pile. "What're you doing here?!"

"I just had to go out when I heard it!" said Jade excitedly. "We won, we won! That was awesome, Fearless Leader!"

"You guys, get off me, will you?!" Mike howled. "I can't breathe, for crying out loud!"

Robert ran out of the hall and came out next to Bladebreakers. He looked around a bit and saw Jade with the jubilant Relic Bladers. He let out his breath. "Oh for goodnessakes…"

"Couldn't stop her, eh?" said Ray, smiling. "Can't blame her for being happy."

"Did we miss a lot?" asked Robert as the other Majestics, who'd been watching, now went up to him, and Kenny said, "Boy, I'll say! All the battles had been great! Especially Mike's finale! Man, I've never seen so much lightning power!"

Lee's jaw was still hanging in shock at what he'd just seen, and Mariah said, "Close you mouth, Lee—you'll catch a fly."

Kevin said, as Lee closed his mouth, "What did you think of _that_ kind of lightning, eh, Lee?"

"…speechless," said Lee. "Somehow makes me feel relieved that we didn't go against them…much. We would've lost beyblades again."

Gary nudged Mariah. "I'm hungry, Mariah."

"Here," said Mariah, shoving an apple to him with a smile. "This'll keep you for a while."

Judy smiled as she watched the victors. "Well…they _were_ incredible."

"They sure were," laughed Eddy.

Michael looked at his Trygle and tentatively poked it before holding it with his ungloved hand. "I know they were. I didn't think that they could be so powerful. Actually, I think the only people who can go against them are the Bladebreakers or the Demolition Boys."

"Speaking of them…" said Steve.

They all nodded. Judy immediately rushed the beyblades into a box that they've just previously furnished. It was to prevent the Demolition Boys from stealing their bit beasts.

And the Demolition Boys themselves were already in the hall as this was happening. For a long moment, they had not said a word, until Ian finally decided to go and break the ice. "Well? What did you all think?"

After a moment, Spencer said, "Mike is dangerous. As with the rest of the Relic Bladers."

"Mike is—was—our captain's friend," said Bryan. "He's as skilled. Even without BIOVOLT training."

"And he's the first to show his true power," said Ian. "The rest of them should be just as powerful. How they managed to achieve this without the specialized training that we had is a complete mystery."

"We must report to Boris," said Bryan. "And figure a way to beat them down."

"With any luck, though, we won't have to," said Ian. "Perhaps who wins against the next bout for the Quarter Finals shall win over them in the Semi-Finals." He snorted, "Although I really want to beat them—especially that insane arrow-shooting witch."

There was a followed silence, and then footsteps sounded in the hall. Spencer looked up. "The All-Stars."

"Let's get moving," said Ian. "You know what to do, Bryan, if any of those meddling goody-two-shoes come and try and stop us."

Bryan got out his air gun and nodded.

****

Jade: (jumping on Mike) We did it, Fearless Leader!! To the Semi-Finals!!

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Alexia: Whoa, take it easy, Jade… (smirks) If we open up your wound again, Ray will worry…

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Jade: Hey!! What are you guys implying?!

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Mike: You can't _still_ not notice…

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Jade: (innocently) What?

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Patrick: (disgusted) Yuck. (to the readers) As these guys debate something like this at so inadequate a moment, review, all right?


	15. Chapter Fifteen Sugar and Spice VS Snip...

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Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

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Mike: How come, as I look at the next pages, I feel something awfully screwy around here?

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Jade: (smirk) He heh… Looks like a war…

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Alexia: All I know is… _never_ underestimate girl power.

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Patrick: (raises an eyebrow) Looks like someone was once a Spice Girls fan…

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Arcan Bladers: Read and Review please!!!

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Sugar and Spice VS Snipes and Snails

"And now, the final match of the Quarter Finals!" DJ exclaimed. "The Bladebreakers of Japan versus The Orient Pearls of the Philippines!"

There was cheering in the stands. The Bladebreakers came to the dugout, and the Orient Pearls were right across them. Tyson glanced at his friends. "Well, guys? What do you say?"

"I'm ready," said Ray, grinning.

"So am I," said Max, nodding.

Kai said nothing as he took a seat at the bench with Kenny. He still had no intention of putting himself in this rather tension-saturated fight.

DJ walked forward at the catwalk again and began, "Bladers, select your—" He abruptly stopped as the captain of the Orient Pearls, the girl whose hair was being braided awhile ago, raised up her hand to stop him as the Orient Pearls walked forward.

Brad Best was rather surprised. "Oh, what's this? Looks like the captain of the Orient Pearls, Mutya, seems to want a word with the boys."

The arena silenced to hear. Mutya, standing in a sweeping outfit, crossed her arms over her chest as she asked, "Bladebreakers! Is it true that you've been confident and overbearing because you feel that you can easily win over us—because we're all girls?"

The was 'oohing' all over the stadium at what she said. The Bladebreakers all instantly pointed to Tyson, who went scarlet and stammered, "But—but I didn't mean it! Really!

"Then why did you say it?" another Orient Pearl, Liwayway, with a challenging gaze.

"Well…I…uh…" Tyson just shrugged. "I guess…because…you girls didn't look very intimidating then…braiding your hair and chatting…and…stuff…well… You just didn't look…too…tough…"

Every beyblader girl's eyebrows raised. Mutya smirked, "Is that so?"

The shortest Orient Pearl, Diwata, cupped her hands over her mouth. "Hey girls!! What say you?!"

Mariah suddenly materialized, and everyone gaped as she stood on top of the Orient Pearls' dugout. "Let's prove them wrong!"

Tammy of the Afterburners and Estella of the Conquistadors dropped down from the bleachers, and Alexia and Jade appeared at the side of the dugout.

"Oh, not them too…" said Mike, slapping a hand over his forehead again. 

And to everyone's surprise, Rochelle of the Snow Blazers appeared and stood as well, and she grinned, saying, "Sorry, I'm late."

"No problem," said Mariah, grinning.

And then, Emily came sprinting out from the hall, panting. "Hey! I'm here! Did I make it?"

"You sure did," said Mutya. 

Emily looked at them and said, 'Well…we lost our bit beasts. The Demolition _Boys_ got them—it was useless to try and protect them to begin with in _their_ territory. But I'm still here for you guys. Girls, I mean."

"Tyson…why did you have to go and say that?" sighed Max.

"Well…we've no choice now," said Tyson. "We'll just have to go out there…and do well."

The Majestics, the other White Tigers, and the rest of the All-Stars gathered with the Relic Bladers behind the Bladebreakers. "Don't worry, we'll back you up," said Michael rather warily. "You seem to be faced with…overwhelming opposition."

AJ Topper burst to laughter. "What do we have here? Looks like one awesome battle of the sexes here!"

"Let's see who'll be the victors, shall we?" said DJ. "Bladers! Your first players!"

"Go on, Diwata," said Mutya. "Just as we talked about." Mutya glanced at the other girls and winked. The other girls grinned and nodded.

Ray let out his breath. "So, guys—who goes first?"

"I will," said Max. "She looks pretty nice. Besides, we'll just show them that we'll play equals." He walked forward to the arena.

Diwata stood, waiting, and she studied the group. She glanced back at the girls. "So…who're clear again?"

Emily looked around and said, "Eddy's clear." And Eddy, surprised, smiled nevertheless.

"Ray is," said Jade, smiling at the Chinese blader, who reddened. "So are Robert, Enrique and Oliver. The Majestics—most of them anyway—are good."

Johnny turned purple. "Hey! What about—"

"Lee is!" interrupted Mariah and Kevin elbowed Lee, who just turned away to hide his face. "And…do we pardon Gary? He's just always hungry."

"Yeah, sure," said Alexia. She looked at Kai and said, "So Kai's clear too."

"Oooh…" said Kenny, nudging him and Kai bristled at him. Estella nodded, "Yeah, he's clear—I already made him submit." Kai grimaced at her and she just grinned as most of the girls tittered.

"Clear on what, anyway?" Patrick demanded.

"The guys we named are the guys we're not going to bother with—they've proven themselves properly," said Liwayway.

"Proven what?!" asked Steve.

Emily made a face at him. "If you don't know then you're not as smart as you think."

Johnny was visibly trying to control himself. "Grr…this is what I _hate_ about girls…always talking in code."

Enrique, who'd was already long since been used to girls—being that he was such a playboy—, grinned and shrugged demurely, "Hey, it's easy to understand if you know them."

"Easy for you to say—you're clear," said Michael although he muttered as an afterthought, "Although I have to admit, I could use a little check on my ego when it comes to talking to Emily."

Johnny looked at the guys. "Come on, are we just going to let them push us around? Let's go already!"

Patrick said, "Max, you're our first champion. Go and win it for us, brother."

Robert slapped a hand over his forehead. "Oh this is just…_wonderful_." The last word was said in a clearly sarcastic tone. He couldn't understand why everyone couldn't just get along. _Hopefully **this** match corrects it._

"You go, sister," said Tammy to Diwata.

DJ, getting a sweatflood, said, "Well, now that the rebuttal is over… Let's begin the match!! First up—Max of the Bladebre—"

"_Boys Union!!_" the boys chorused anxious to put a one-up.

"Right…Max of the Boys Union—and the Bladebreakers. And his opponent, Diwata from the—"

"_Girls Side Team!!_" the girls exclaimed, not to be outdone.

DJ got a bigger sweatflood. "Okay… Diwata of the Girls Side Team—and the Orient Pearls." He took a breath. "Man, this is going to be big. And today's bowl—"

The bowl slowly rose up from where it was hidden, and everyone looked in interest as a beautiful Russian location was revealed. "Aha! It's the Red Square Bowl!" said AJ Topper. "A perfect replica of Moscow's Red Square. Looks like both our bladers will have lots of space to run around in, but as usual, watch out for the obstacles…"

"All right, then! On the count, bladers!" DJ called.

Max held out his shooter, keeping his eyes on Diwata, who held a branch-shaped shooter which she was going to whip. It was her shooter—and Max wondered what kind of a beyblade and bit beast she had.

"Three!! Two!! One!!" And DJ held his microphone for the two groups and they all yelled, "_Let it rip!!"_

"Go Draciel!" Max fired.

"Go Tarwar!!" Diwata flung the beyblade off.

Draciel hit the bowl, and Brad Best said, "Here it begins—the battle of the sexes between the Bladebreakers and the Orient Pearls!"

Max watched as Draciel zipped about the arena. "Hey…where's her beyblade?"

"Right here!" said Diwata as a white beyblade leapt up from behind a model of St. Basil's Cathedral. It bounced in front of Max, who blinked. "Huh?"

Ray blinked as he stared at the white beyblade Tarwar. "That has _got_ to be the smallest beyblade I've ever seen."

"The thing's only half Draciel's size," remarked Johnny.

"Of course," said Diwata, smiling.

"You've got to be kidding!" said Michael. "If Draciel hits that thing it's going to go flying! What's up with that?"

"Perhaps Diwata's blade isn't all it seems to be," said Kenny, typing away furiously in his laptop. "There's got to be a reason why Tarwar is so small…"

Max looked at the beyblade, then at Diwata, and he smiled, saying, "You must have something up your sleeve, huh? Well, let's see if it works, then! Go, Draciel!"

Draciel went right at the tiny Tarwar beyblade, and it held course for a moment, and Draciel came within contact. Suddenly, Tarwar zipped away like a little white lightning bolt and Draciel crashed into St. Basil's Cathedral. It bounced back and kept spinning, however.

"What…how did that happen?" Max breathed.

And before anyone knew what happened, Tarwar had impacted Draciel from behind five times before zipping off again, blazing about the Red Square.

"It moves so fast," Oliver murmured. "It's really skipping about there."

"Looks like a little white rat to me," muttered Johnny who was still clearly stinging about being the only Majestic left out and Kevin, the only White Tiger left out, seemed to agree.

"Shows what you know," Diwata stuck her tongue out at him.

"Keep going, Draciel!" said Max, and the green beyblade rushed after the smaller white one. There was a chase around the Red Square, and Draciel crashed into Tarwar. Tarwar flew into the air, and everybody thought that it was either destroyed or it was going to be flung out.

"Come on, Tarwar!" said Diwata.

And to everybody's surprise, Tarwar, spinning around in the air, actually bounced on the edge—the Kremlin's wall—and bounced off all the way to the cathedral top and bounced back on the ground, still spinning, and it zipped away.

"How…what was…" Patrick was speechless.

Mike tilted his head at the white beyblade. "Look at it go…it's like…a little white monkey…"

Diwata burst into laughter. "Well then, you've figured things out, eh?"

Kenny tapped a key in his laptop and instantly brightened. "I know what it is! I know it! Diwata's beyblade—it's moving just like a tarsier!"

"What in the world is a tarsier?" asked Tyson, looking back at him.

"It's said to be the smallest monkey in the world," explained Kenny. "Because of their small size, they're pretty hard to catch and they move fast. Like any monkey, they leap about in the air, jumping from branch to branch. I think that it was what Diwata put her blade after!"

"A…monkey?" said Max, blinking at it as it zipped about like a restless ball. He grinned. "That's pretty cool!"

"Come on, Max—you can take her!" said Tyson.

"Oh yeah?" Diwata said, and giving them a challenging gaze. "Then take this! Tarwar—White Bombardment!"

Tarwar glowed in a bright white light, and a yellow tarsier bit beast appeared over the beyblade. "Whoa boy…" said Max, seeing the telltale signs of a major attack. "Draciel, Fortress Defense!"

Draciel was just about to do just than when Tarwar, moving like nothing they've seen before, was bombarding Draciel with crashes, like there were about a hundred piling on Draciel at the same time. As Draciel wobbled dangerously with all the attacks pouring on him, Diwata grinned and said, "Ever had an entire family of monkeys jump of you, screeching, clinging and squealing at the same time?"

"No…but it's a horrible thought," Max replied.

Diwata grinned. "I thought so too."

Draciel was starting to weaken with the ceaseless bombardment of Tarwar. Max clenched his fist. "I can't give up…" he muttered. "I have to win… Draciel, you can do it!"

Draciel kept spinning, its endurance lasting, and Tarwar was beginning to slow on the attacks. Max took his chance, "Get them off, Draciel—and take Tarwar down!"

The bit beast Draciel came to life from out of the beyblade, and Draciel's metal-ball defense kicked into action, and Draciel kept spinning rapidly. Tarwar was pushed off by the force of Draciel's spin, and Draciel charged at Tarwar. There was a powerful impact, and Tarwar flew up again, and this time _really_ fell out of the bowl and landed at Diwata's feet.

There was cheering from the audience, most especially from the boys' side. The girls merely raised their eyebrows at them, and the boys' fervor died down.

Max smiled as he got back Draciel, and he said to Diwata. "Hey. Good fight. You really had me worried awhile there. But you guys still have a shot, right?"

Diwata blinked at him for a moment, and then smiled at him. She then looked at the girls and said, "Max is clear!"

The girls all applauded happily as a rather puzzled Max blinked and stared at them. Johnny's jaw dropped. "What?! How come he—"

"Don't ask," Mike elbowed him. "I'm just wondering why Patrick and I aren't clear. What did _we_ do?"

"You treat us like guys, Fearless Leader," Alexia smirked. She paused and added, "And so much like guys do you treat us, that you two practically walked in on us in the locker room."

"What?!" Robert thundered, turning to the two Relic Bladers, and both boys fled to the back of the dugout.

Alexia and Jade high-fived each other and grinned. Ray just shrugged. "We've no complaint, right Max?"

"You guys are clear," Tyson grimaced.

"Pipe down," said Kai irritably from where he sat. "Ray, you're next, aren't you?"

"Right," said Ray, standing up and heading for the arena. Tyson said, "Make it two straight wins for us, Ray—and it'll all be over!"

"As if!" came a voice from across the arena, and they saw that Liwayway was already there. She was scantily dressed, but it seemed like a traditional outfit of a native. She held out a crude slingshot, that had to be whirled around and around—it was her launched and ripcord, and said, "Two wins straight is much to ask for."

Ray blinked and then said with a grin, "Let's see about that, then."

DJ, who was getting quite into the proceedings, said, "All right! It's one win to nothing—Boy's Union a.k.a. Bladebreakers over Girls Side Team a.k.a. Orient Pearls. And it's time for the next round! For the boys—Ray! And from the girls—Liwayway!"

There was cheering again, and DJ magnificently revealed their next location. A blast of hot steam was met by the beybladers as the next arena rose. The two took a s light step back as they were met by a sudden flash of heat, and when the steam cleared they saw several active volcanoes in the arena.

"Aha!" said Brad Best. "Looks like a tough one for our beybladers."

"Yep, that's right, Brad 'cause that's Russia's Geyser Valley!" said AJ Topper. "Let's see our beybladers navigate through this perilous terrain with active volcanoes and random geyser bursts!"

"Bladers—are you ready?" DJ inquired.

"As I'll ever be," said Ray, grinning.

"Me too," said Liwayway, getting her slingshot ready.

"Three—two—one—_let it rip!!"_ DJ hollered.

Ray fired the beyblade with all his might and Liwayway swung around the slingshot in intense speed before flinging it right into the arena. Both beyblades flew in amidst general cheering, and the second bout began.

Driger immediately skirted about the ground, Ray wary of the sudden blasts of steam and water on the ground, the treacherous geysers. Meanwhile, Liwayway's Tamawar was skirting up through the mud with amazing ease. Volcanoes here and there were rumbling, threatening to explode.

Ray spotted one active volcano, and saw his chance. "Driger! Force Tamawar up the volcano!"

Driger rushed up at Tamawar and began knocking the beyblade upwards, as the two of them continued a scale above a craggy mountain face. It wasn't so much slanted, so it was rather easy to climb, but naturally got harder as they continued ascent.

"Looks like Ray's got an idea, Brad," said AJ Topper and his partner said, "Yeah, and it looks like he's forcing Tamawar up to that volcano!"

"That's so but it also looks like Ray is having a hard time with the mountain—don't blame him, it's a terribly rocky and pebbly mount."

As they reached a pinnacle, Driger slipped on a pebble and dropped down slightly. Ray stifled a gasp, because if Driger fell, he was facing a slide to a nearby hot spring.

Liwayway, however, laughed. "Having trouble with the mountain?"

"Liwayway doesn't seem to be slipping," said Kenny, typing. "Look's like the tip of her beyblade is made of latex or rubber, or something. It makes a good grip on the climb. But it should easily wear down eventually and slow down."

"Let's go—Tamawar! Let's show them how the Ifugao people dealt with mountains," said Liwayway, grinning.

Tamawar suddenly glowed in blue light, and began to go all around the mountain, looking like it was carving it down. Everyone stared as Tamawar made its way down the mountain, carving down the mountain into steps.

Kenny was aghast. "Whoa—it's just like the Rice Terraces in the Philippines!"

"Rice Terraces?" asked Max.

"You see, the Ifugao people needed to plant rice, they found nowhere to do it but the mountains," said Kenny. "So they carved down the mountains with their own hands to make a terrace so they could plant rice. The terraces are said to one of the Wonders of the World."

"That's right," said Liwayway. "I'm proud of my Ifugao heritage, and I'll show you how I maneuver around this mountain ground!"

Tamawar leapt from volcano to volcano, carving a path for her to go through with ease. It leapt at Driger and knocked the gray beyblade down the mountain. But Driger regained grip again and sped upwards, just barely missed by a geyser that suddenly burst out behind it.

Ray saw the steps. _Aha._ "You left tracks for me to follow, then!"

Driger leapt to the steps and began chasing Tamawar around like a cat stalking prey. It leapt and bounced on Tamawar, who back slightly and rammed Driger with one of its spinning 'horns'.

"Keep going, Tamawar!" Liwayway cried. A blazing red bit beast of a tamaraw came bursting out of the beyblade and galloped towards Driger in a raging force.

"Go, Driger!!" said Ray, and Driger burst out of the beyblade in a blaze of green.

The two beyblades instantly crashed into each other, the bit beasts in the frays, and in blast of steam, both beyblades were knocked to the ground below. Before anyone could react, however, a powerful geyser shot the beyblades off the ground with such force that they flew out of the arena and landed in front of their owners.

The stadium was in uproar. Everyone was on their feet, somehow disappointed that the match ended in such a way.

"For the second bout—it's a draw!!" exclaimed DJ and the cheering continued.

"Sorry, guys," said Ray as he returned to the rest of the boys. "I had no idea there was a geyser under there…"

Liwayway was shaking her head, and Mutya said, "It's all right, Liwayway—we'll win the next one."

"Are you sure?" asked Jade. "Tyson is up next. He's…rather adaptive, you understand."

"I can take it," said Mutya, smiling mysteriously as she walked up to the arena. Tyson walked forward to the arena as well and grinned warily at Mutya. "You're my opponent, then?" he asked.

"I was _so_ looking forward to this," said Mutya getting out her shooter, which was a large wooden wand. Her flowing outfit trailed back behind her.

Ray leaned to Kenny and asked, "Exactly what is Mutya supposed to be?"

"In Filipino—a _babaylan,_" replied Kenny. "It's a female priestess…with powers…you know?" They stared blankly at him and said, "Kind of like a witch doctor, in short."

"Uh-oh…" said Max. "Tyson might be in trouble…"

DJ looked down and said, "Both beybladers are at position—let's see what kind of an arena they'll have!"

The arena hissed open and began to rise, and everyone watched in amazement as another mountain range was revealed, but this time, the mountains were capped in ice, and there was a path winding all around it lined with trees.

"The Caucasus Mountain Bowl!" said AJ Topper. "Ice capped mounts and battling on mountain paths—so be careful you don't slip up when an avalanche crashes!"

"All right!" said DJ. "Our beybladers are Tyson from the Bladebreakers—Boys Union—and his opponent, Mutya from the Orient Pearls—Girls Side Team! Prepare to launch, beybladers!"

"You can do it, Mutya! Get 'im!" the girls chorused.

"Come on, Tyson—win it for the guys!" the boys called.

"Bladers! Three—two—one—_let it rip!!_"

"Dragoon!!" Tyson yelled, ripping with all his might.

"Agiwar!!" Mutya cried, spinning around in a rapid dance and the beyblade went off with her rip.

Both beyblades hit the path and soon went running around the mountain paths. Mutya wasted no time. She spun around, waving her hands, chanting in Philippine tongue. With a final chant, Agiwar suddenly appeared behind Dragoon powerful blaze of wind impacted Dragoon and nearly blew the beyblade off.

Dragoon hit a mountain and was knocked back out to the path, steering away.

"I'm not going to waste my time in defeating you!" said Mutya. Chanting yet again and making motions with her hands, immediately a cold wind blew around the arena as a dark mist of thunderclouds began to form over the bowl. Instantly, a swirl of clouds later a thunderstorm pelted down on Dragoon.

"Where's Agiwar?" Tyson gasped. "I can barely see through all the clouds!"

"Tyson, keep your eyes on the bowl!" Kai said, leaping to his feet.

Tyson looked and gasped as through the clouds, Agiwar came from a high peak and crashed down on one side of Dragoon, sending it flipping about, over the cloud patch, but the beyblade still landed on the mountain path and kept spinning.

"Nice magic trick, but you're not going to win over me today!" Tyson exclaimed. "You want a storm? Here's one for you!! Dragoon—_Phantom Hurricane_!!"

The great blue dragon bit beast came roaring out of the beyblade, and a powerful spin of air began to form by Dragoon's power. The hurricane swept up all the clouds and instantly sucked up Agiwar as well, and the two beyblades vanished into the tornado created by Dragoon's spin.

"He's going to win…" said Patrick hopefully.

Mutya suddenly smirked. "You call that wind? Have a taste of beating wings. _Agiwar!"_

To everyone's shocked amazement, the Phantom Hurricane was torn apart by a sudden royal blue light from inside it, and a deafening screech was heard and there was a massive flapping of wings. The wind blew about even the ice on the tops of the mountains, and a massive blue eagle was revealed.

"Look at that eagle!" Max gasped.

"It's as large as Griffolyon!" Robert exclaimed.

"It's even bigger than my Trygle!" Michael gasped.

"It should!" said Kenny. "Agiwar is the rare Philippine eagle, or the Monkey-Eating Eagle. It's the biggest eagle specie in the world with a wingspan that can reach over six feet!"

Agiwar gave a powerful screech and soared into the air, the wind beating down at everyone with pelts of rain, and, like a deadly weapon of death came shooting to the ground, talons all out. 

"Agiwar—_Typhoon Wings!!"_ Mutya commanded.

The eagle stormed down in a flurry of wind and rain, and a pair of blazing blue talons grabbed Dragoon, threatening to tear him apart. Below, the Agiwar beyblade's sharp tip was piercing right through the Dragoon beyblade's attack ring. With Dragoon caught, Agiwar beat its wings, screeching at the catch, creating a sensational gale of wind that hoisted Dragoon off.

And with a powerful crash, Agiwar swooped down and crashed Dragoon right into the icy mountains.

Everyone gasped and leapt to their feet as the clouds and dust dispersed, and they saw a great hole in the mountain. Agiwar was spinning triumphantly, but Dragoon skittered to a stop and went still.

"The battle is over—_Mutya wins!!_" DJ cried. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to sudden-death!!

There was an explosion of cheers from all the girls, and they were leaping up and down in euphoria. The din that followed was deafening, and everyone was on their feet, remarkably impressed by the goings on. This was certainly starting to be one severe match.

Tyson was completely appalled as he stood stunned. "I…I lost. I can't…believe I lost…"

Mutya smiled at him though not unkindly. She went to the bowl, picked up his Dragoon and walked over to him. She held it out to him and asked, "Is your opinion changed yet?"

Tyson looked up at her and to his Dragoon, and then he laughed as he took it from her. "Yeah. It is. Wow, that was a sweet move back there! I really didn't see it coming." He scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. "Hey, I'm really sorry for making fun of you guys. I really didn't mean any of it. Goes to show me that appearances aren't all that important…and that girls are pretty much on equal footing with us…"

"Pretty much?" Mutya asked, raising an eyebrow, and Tyson groaned, "Oh, all right, all right. You guys are good. We're on even ground…"

Mutya smiled. "Good." She turned around to the girls. "Everyone! Tyson is cleared!!"

There was a cheer from the girls. "We did it!" said Mariah. 

"Yeah!" said Diwata, jumping up and down. "We haven't won the match just yet, but we've already won!"

"_So_ true," Rochelle giggled. All the girls were hugging and shaking hands with each other.

"But we haven't been cleared yet," Johnny said irritably. Suddenly, there was the shrill ring of a phone. He looked around. "Hey, that's my cell phone." He hunted around his pockets and found it. "Hello? Yeah." He looked stunned. "Sis?!"

Everyone looked to his direction at this. "Johnny has a sister?" Ray asked, and Enrique nodded, "An older one."

"Yeah," said Johnny to the phone. "Yeah, I know you're watching—so? What?! Oh man, come on! No way! Oh yeah? Or else what?" He listened and then blanched. "Oh man, sis—don't tell mom and dad _that_! Please? Right! Okay, I will! I will! Just don't tell! I promise I'll be better, then! Oh…all right." He hung up and groaned.

The girls were giggling. "Johnny is clear!"

"Clear Michael and Steve too, Emily," said Eddy. "They made me put you in my place, after all."

"Okay," grinned Emily. "In fact, it's all over, so all the boys are clear! Everything back to normal!" She stopped and smirked. "Well…not _all_ normal…"

"Oh, finally," Robert groaned. "It's over."

"Yeah…" said 

DJ put his hands to his hips and said, "Hey, hey! This isn't over just yet, you guys! We've still got the sudden-death match. Teams, pick your players! Remember—this is for the Semi-Finals!"

Mutya ran back to the Orient Pearls, and all the girls were in a huddle, talking. Tyson went back to the boys, and they also came together in a clump, talking.

"All right," said Max. "Who's going? This is important."

"Yeah," said Ray. "This time, we have to make _sure_ that we win…we have to make it to the Semi-Finals."

"Well then, who plays?" said Tyson. "Who's the one of us who can go out there and we'd _know_ that he'd land a victory for sure against opponents like that?"

There was silence, and all the boys turned to look at the lone figure sitting at the bench. Kai looked up and asked, "What?"

"Kai, you have to play!" Tyson begged. "Come on, you're our last shot!"

"Not happening," was the reply.

"We have to win this next one, Kai—you have to go play!" said Kenny. "You've so far got the best record. Right Dizzi?"

"Sorry, Chief, but I'm with the girls," Dizzi replied casually. "Can't help you—sorry!"

"Traitor," but Kenny laughed anyway. He looked up at Kai. "Well, Kai?"

"No."

Tyson fell to his knees and clasped his hands. "All right, I'm begging here. _Please_? I know you already said that you wouldn't, but you have to now!"

"You learned your lesson the hard way and got trounced by a girl—and I have to clean up your mess?" Kai groaned.

But before any of the boys can say anything else, a call came from across the arena. It was Diwata, standing with all the girls looking on, and she called, "Hey!! You guys!! We request the captain of the Bladebreakers and two members to have a discussion with our captain in regards to the next match! Oh yeah—and DJ here already said he'll allow."

DJ looked at the boys. "Well, Bladebreakers?"

Kai looked up and saw Mutya standing already, waiting. Then he stood up and nodded. "Ray, Max, you guys come with me, then."

"Why can't _I_ go?" asked Tyson.

"You've gotten into enough trouble today," said Kai as he walked off with Max and Ray following him.

As the two groups met at one side and both captains discussed in private, Patrick asked, "What do you guys think?"

"I don't know," said Oliver. "But it looks like some sort of negotiation."

"Negotiation of what?" asked Kevin.

"Well, we'll find out once it's over," shrugged Tyson.

After about five minutes discussion, both captains nodded and they walked over to the arena. Everyone looked rather satisfied and were smiling. Mutya looked up at DJ and said, "Hey referee guy! The Orient Pearls officially retract from the next match! The Bladebreakers win."

"What?" DJ was stunned. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," said Mutya, nodding. "It's been discussed."

"All right then!" said DJ. "The winners for the last match of the Quarter Finals are the Bladebreakers!! They are officially going to the Semi-Final round!"

"Yeah!!" Tyson leapt up in delight. "We're going! This is so cool!"

"Congratulations," said Lee, smiling. "You guys are going to do it."

"Yeah," said Michael. "You guys do well, you hear?"

"Sure!" said Max. "We'll do real well tomorrow."

And then Kenny said, "Hey you guys…the Relic Bladers are gone."

Everyone, both boys and girls as both groups were together now, looked around at this, and saw that Kenny was right. There was no Relic Blader among them. And then Lee said, "Not gone. Over there."

They all looked across the arena from the Bladebreakers' dugout and saw that near the other, now unoccupied, dugout stood the Relic Bladers. "What're they doing all the way over there?" Tyson asked to no one in particular.

And just then, the Relic Bladers looked at them. There was a very odd look on their faces. It was not a look necessarily of malice, but all looked extremely grave and somber. The others were all frankly surprised, others somewhat nervous, as the effect of their stare was heightened by the face that they held all their weapons. And then, after a moment, all the Relic Bladers turned around, weapons all drawn, and they walked out into the other doorway near the dugout.

"What's with them?" Johnny murmured.

Kai, after a discomforting pause, answered, "Well… to refresh your memory… The Relic Bladers are our opponents tomorrow. And now I think…that for the rest of this day and tomorrow, they're not going to be our friends."

"They looked really serious back there…" murmured Kenny. "Almost…scary."

"Yeah…" Ray agreed.

Robert shook his head. "Tradition. They're taking this very seriously. I suggest we all prepare." He turned to his group. "Come on. Let's practice. Remember—we're dealing with the Demolition Boys tomorrow."

"Hey you guys," said Tyson, glancing at the Majestics, "You guys break a leg, okay? Beat those guys."

"We'll do our best, Tyson, we promise you and the Bladebreakers that," nodded Enrique. 

Kai glanced back to where the Relic Bladers had gone, leaving an air of tension in their wake. "We had better prepare for it too. Tomorrow, the first storm is really going to touch down."

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Mike: Talk about air of intimidation…

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Patrick: Heh. If Tyson hasn't learned anything for _our_ match… (rolls his eyes)

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Jade: I know that they may be friends… but this is serious now.

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Alexia: Yeah… We need to beat them so we'll go against the Demolition Boys. Otherwise… We'll never get Tala back.

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Jade: (nodding) Right. Time to get ready. (looks to the readers) While we do that, review and tell us what you think!


	16. Chapter Sixteen Prelude to A Squall

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Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

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Mike: (remains silent)

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Patrick: (also quiet)

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Alexia: (quiet too)

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Jade: …we've got some important deciding to do. But for all the people who've reviewed so far, a great big **THANK YOU**. You really inspired us to go on with this story. Really. Thanks to you all very very much. MysticAngel4: You'll be surprised with this story. Here's the next chapter: Prelude to a Squall. Read and Review please.

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CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Prelude to a Squall

As the Bladebreakers walked up the hotel, none of them were able to smile. Tyson's grandfather had asked once or twice in the bus why they were "so darn quiet that you could hear a pin fall and drop on a seat cushion." Of course, none of them were really able to reply only that certain question, and even now they _still_ hadn't spoken.

And then finally, Kai said, "As soon as we get upstairs, Chief, I want you to work on our beyblades. We still need to improve."

"I know," said Kenny, nodding. "And I will. I still can't seem to forget the power that blast that Mike gave out…"

At this, everyone instantly remembered the Relic Bladers' final match against the All-Stars, and Mike's blasting phase on Trygle. It seems amazing that Trygle was even together after that. Then again, Emily had said that Trygle was close to falling apart when she looked it over after the match.

"We don't even know what the others are capable of," said Kenny. "Mike's shown his full power—which will more than likely improve tomorrow by rates that we don't know. Patrick could've possibly shown half of his—and that was bad enough. But Jade and Alexia's full powers are still an absolute mystery."

"That's why right after you fix the blades, we're going into serious practice," said Kai as they reached the steps into the hotel. "And I mean serious. We're not going to stop until we all give out."

"And for once I'm not even going to complain," murmured Tyson. "I want a rematch with Patrick and the thing to do now is make sure that I don't crash down five minutes into it."

"How about you, Kai?" asked Ray. "I'll bet you want to take on Mike again."

"I do—but I'm not going to without making sure that _I'm_ prepared for it," he replied. "Alexia gave me warning. Now I see the basis for it."

"Yeah…wish they could still give us warning now," said Max with a sigh. "I really didn't like the way they looked at us back at the stadium…"

"Neither did I," said Ray. "But Robert said that they take it seriously. So we should too or we won't stand a chance."

Kai nodded as they all went into an elevator. "Right, then. Let's crack down to business."

Form the Relic Bladers' room, there was an almost stifling silence. Patrick was sitting on his bed with Armada in his hands, Mike sat on chair by a table, staring at Archonwolf, who was on the table, Alexia was leaning against the wall, and staring at her own Aldebaran, and Jade was by the window, a hand on the glass and the other holding her Auran. Zeus stood by the door silently, waiting for them to make a move.

For minutes on end, they were like that—each on his or her own position and silent. And finally, they all heard the clink of metal being taken up. They all looked up to see that Mike had picked up Archonwolf and was now looking at all of them. Zeus looked to the captain, and so did everyone else.

"Well, Fearless Leader?" asked Patrick silently. "What'll it be?"

Mike looked at them for a moment, then at his beyblade. Then he looked up at them again, his face set and his mind made up. There was only one thing to do for them now.

"Let's do it."

Alexia's eyes widened slightly, but did not say anything as she straightened up. Jade looked at him and nodded. Zeus, also looking serious, asked quietly, "When?"

Mike glanced at them. "We'll do it tonight. But we'll practice for now. They prepare their way, and we prepare our way."

"Tonight, then," said Patrick, walking over to him with all the other Relic Bladers. Mike glanced around at them and held out his gripped beyblade, the point facing down. "For Tala."

Everyone held out their beyblades as well, linking fists with him in the circle. "For Tala," they agreed.

Zeus slowly smiled. "I'll prepare it for you guys, then."

In the abbey far from where the other three groups that made it to the Semi-Finals were, Ian, Spencer and Bryan had returned to the BIOVOLT headquarters. Everything in the abbey was quiet, as usual, and there were only the sounds of their walking as they headed for the main training chamber, where Boris had requested them to go to right after the tournament.

Ian opened the doors to the training chamber, and Boris stood waiting from one side of a large arena, looking as regal yet imposing as he turned to see them come in. "I trust that you all have done well," he remarked.

"Yes, sir," replied Ian. "We've won—as expected. And we've also acquired the bit beasts of the All-Stars, White Tigers, Olympian Blades and Orient Pearls."

"Excellent," said Boris, smiling maliciously. "Tomorrow, you face off against the Majestics. Their bit beasts are also extremely valuable to you all. I expect another win from you all."

"Yes, sir," said Ian.

There was stifling silence. And then Boris gave a soft chuckle. "Waiting for your captain?"

Of course, there was no reply from the Demolition Boys. It wasn't a sort of question that was to be answered. But still, it was rather expected that they would be. After all, Tala should go out and have a go tomorrow—he didn't have his share of the bit beasts today.

Boris turned to the doors nearby and said to the Demolition Boys, "Well, I think that you should see him for yourself." And he called, "Tala!"

The doors slowly hissed open in a flood of mist from down below. In the shadows, footsteps resounded, and a figure began to walk towards them. The Demolition Boys watched, as their captain walked out into the light.

Tala looked frankly imposing without trying. His blue eyes were now as sharp as ever, both cold with no trace of mercy or sympathy for anyone or anywhere. His skin was pale as ever, and he was no longer covered in wounds and cuts. He looked as stolid as ever, but he generated an aura that was far more fearsome that the Demolition Boys remembered him to have.

"Your captain has returned," said Boris with a smirk. "Tala is now the perfect soldier for BIOVOLT. He will crush through all his opponents with no second thought. He has been infused with the power of the bit beasts that was remade synthetically from our laboratories. He is now more than fitting to be your captain now."

In truth be told, the Demolition Boys knew that, just by looking at him. Tala regarded them all with an almost alarming coldness and he said nothing and did nothing. 

__

He's a robot…all things considered… Boris thought. _But the perfect weapon. BIOVOLT has finally managed to create the most powerful of its weapons to date. Tala's skill and talent have been bred and prepared for the next round. He's now ready to give fear to all his opponents, and no longer has he any sympathy for those vile Arcans._

"Tomorrow," Boris said aloud, "Tomorrow, you all are going to the Semi-Finals and give the world a first taste of the terror which will be the norm once BIOVOLT gains control."

"Yes, sir," came the chorus of the Demolition Boys.

"Oh, man," Enrique groaned, flopping over the back of a seat he dropped onto late that night. "I can't move…" His hands dangled down, and his Amphilyon dropped to the ground with a clank. He groaned and bent down to pick it up as Oliver nearby crawled onto his bed.

"I don't think we've ever practiced so hard before," he said, his voice muffled by the mattress.

The Majestics, the moment they'd gotten out of their helicopter, had been ushered by Robert to a relentless practice session that lasted the entire day and into the night. It was only now that they finally called it a day and they just barely managed to get back to their room.

Johnny, who was swallowing down his third straight tumbler of water, now let out his breath and panted, "Oh yeah? You think this is bad…" He nodded over to the window which Robert was looking out of. "Look at those sadists outside."

Oliver, intrigued, slowly pulled himself off the soft embrace of his mattress and trudged over the window and stood next to Robert, who, amazingly, didn't look as tired as he and the rest of the Majestics were. "What's up out there?" Oliver asked him.

Robert said nothing—he merely nodded out the window. Oliver looked out the window of their hotel and down to the grounds, and he was rather stunned to see a group of five figures down at the lawn, still going. "How long have they _been_ down there?!" Oliver breathed. "They were there when we were practicing and they're still there _now_!"

"I think the Bladebreakers are just determined," said Johnny. "Either that or Kai's the one making them stay."

"I think it to be the latter, then," Robert said. "Kai's ordering them about the arena as they practice—he didn't use to awhile ago."

So maybe he was. But it was for quite a good reason and no one can deny that. The Bladebreakers were still down there, working non-stop at Kai's directions, and they were all around a blue-tinted portable beystadium—obviously furbished for them by Mr. Dickinson.

"You think we should follow their example?" Robert smirked.

Johnny groaned and dropped to the ground in a sitting position, "I can barely get to my bed let alone go down and practice again."

"Besides, Robert—it's ten-thirty p.m.," said Oliver. "It's time to call it quits. Look at them down there—they're flagging too, anyway. Even Kai."

"All right…" Robert rolled his eyes. "Get to rest—we've an early day tomorrow, and out battle with the Demolition Boys is first up."

They all turned away from the window as a snore sounded in the room, and they saw that Enrique was already asleep on the chair. Oliver smiled and walked over to his seat, and slowly began to tip it over. Feeling that he was slipping, Enrique jolted awake. "Hey!"

Oliver burst into laughter. "You shouldn't sleep there—get to your bed."

"Don't scare me like that!" Enrique protested tiredly and he got up and trudged to his bed, flopped down, then promptly began snoring.

"Enrique!" they exclaimed.

"What?" he asked.

"Hit the showers first and get dressed, will you?"

"Come on—one last round!" Kai directed to the bladers about thirty minutes after the Majestics had retired.

Tyson groaned and fell to the grassy, misty ground. "Kai, you said 'last round' forty-five minutes ago! We're tired—our bodies can't take much more of this—even you! We'll have to stop sometime!"

"We have to keep practicing," Kai said, now irritable with exhaustion. "We have to be at the top of our game against any of the other three teams that made it into the Semi-Finals. And it just happens that we go against the Relic Bladers tomorrow."

Tyson groaned and rolled over to Ray, who was standing nearby, and he clutched at the one of the legs of Ray's pants. "Please, Ray! Agree with me! It'll make him stop!"

But Tyson's tug made Ray's exhausted body tumble down to the ground as well and Ray gave an "oof!" as he hit the earth. He looked up at Kai and said, "Kai, actually…Tyson…_may_ have a point here."

"See?!" said Tyson, sweat running down his face. "He agrees!"

Kai bristled, "It's not a majority vote."

Tyson whirled around to look at Max who was on a stone bench. "Hey Max, I'm right, aren't I? We should call it quits now, and you agree with me, right?"

He stopped. The Bladebreakers looked to see Max already sleeping quietly on the stone bench, his head using his arm as a pillow. He held his shooter with one hand and his Draciel in the other. Tyson blinked, "He's asleep."

At this, Kenny, who'd been silent all the while, shut his laptop and said, "All right, you guys. I think we _should_ stop. Max is asleep already—and the rest of you are obviously exhausted as well."

Kai rolled his eyes and was about to protest when Ray hit the back of Kai's knees with his leg, making Kai's legs buckle and he fell to the ground with a thud.

"See?" Ray said dully. "You're tired too."

Kai surrendered and was too tired to argue. For a moment, there was silence. And then Tyson broke the silence as he tiredly said, "Guys, I can't get up."

"I can't move," Ray answered.

"I think you guys are overreacting," Kenny said. 

"Easy for you, to say—you've just been typing there the whole time we were here," said Tyson, his tiredness making him sassy.

"He's working," Kai answered. "He's still going to remodel the blades later tonight and he's working on what we can do against our opponents." Slowly, he hoisted himself up back to his feet, stepping well away from Ray. "Now get up so we can get to walking. They can't bring you to the room by wheelbarrow."

Tyson groaned and pretended to die and Kenny nudged him with his foot. "Get up already, Tyson—it's over."

Ray stood up, swaying slightly as his did, and Driger hung limply in his hands along with his shooter. "What do we do about Max? Should we wake him up?"

"Do we opt to carry him, then?" asked Kai.

"But he looks so tired," said Kenny.

And Ray replied, "We can barely stand, let alone carry Max up there. Let's just wake him up a bit."

Tyson then crawled over to the bench where the sleeping figure was and he gently shook Max awake. "Max. Hey, Max, wake up. Practice is over."

"H-huh?" Max slowly stirred. "What—it is? Oh man, I'm sorry you guys, but I guess I just dozed off. How long have I been asleep?"

"Just ten minutes," replied Kenny, who was fixing up the portable beystadium. "Come on. Let's go upstairs."

Max yawned and slowly got up, and he pulled Tyson to his feet, and then, slowly making their pace, the group trudged up to the hotel doors and headed for their room. As the group piled into an elevator, Kenny looked at the fold-up beystadium inside the suitcase and said, "You guys really beat this thing up."

"Reminds me of what the Arcans do to stone beystadiums," replied Tyson.

Max, yawning, said, "Hey, I wonder how _they're_ doing?"

"Probably somewhere, practicing," replied Kai, stifling his own yawn. "Like what we should be doing now."

"What we _should_ be doing is getting rest," said Ray. "If we don't we'll get so beat up that we wouldn't be able to play well tomorrow anyway."

There was no response after that. And then Kenny commented, "What do you think it'll be like finally facing off with the likes of them?"

"Difficult," said Kai.

"Unpredictable," replied Ray.

"Awkward," answered Tyson.

They looked at Tyson for his reply and Kenny asked, "What do you mean, awkward?"

Tyson shrugged and said, "Well, it's kind of weird. We've been seeing them move and fight often, and some of us even took them on. And more to it than that, they're good friends of ours. Now they've given us that weird vibe and stuff, and we'll go at them again…"

He straightened up to keep himself awake and said, "Why wouldn't it be weird? They're serious opponents now—when the last time we had them they were taking it easy."

"You have a point, Tyson, but I really don't think that's what sends the 'awkward' factor at Ray and Kai here," Max said without opening his eyes.

The other two Bladebreakers turned scarlet but said nothing, as expected, and Max just grinned to himself. The elevator doors opened at their floor and somehow the group managed to return to their hotel room. The moment the lights went on, however, there was a race for the shower, and Ray won—being the fastest. 

As soon as everyone was done Tyson flew to his bed and flung the covers over him, vanishing. There was instantaneous snoring coming from his bed and all the others got sweatfloods. "We better get to bed too," said Ray, seeing that Max was also asleep already.

The lights went out, and everything was silent.

Heading to midnight, shadows began moving in the mists below, emerging from the hotel doors. They moved with silence—as much silence considered, anyway.

"Ouch, Pat—you stepped on my foot!"

"Well you shouldn't have put it there!"

"Why, I oughta—"

"Shush, you guys!"

"It's fogging up around here…we can barely see a thing."

"Zeus already finished the preparations so just hush and let's get on with this."

There was a slight pause, and more movement from the ground below. As the wind blew some of the mists away, it revealed the Relic Bladers all standing at the grounds below. Mike was looking up at the sky, waiting for the moon to emerge from the clouds.

Patrick then said, "Are we sure about this?"

"It's only a first level thing," replied Mike. "It's not on full force."

"Yeah, that would have some…more serious consequences…" said Jade, shrugging. 

Alexia looked at her beyblade and watched the bit piece gleam in the light. "Well…this is all for Tala. We just have to get him back. We just _have _to."

"And we will," nodded Mike. He saw the moon break through the clouds and smiled. "It's a crescent. Just right." He looked to his team and said, "Our blades are already upgraded, and we've practiced relentlessly all day—"

"I'll say," Alexia remarked.

"—so we're ready," said Mike. He looked around. "Zeus?"

Zeus materialized from the shadows. He was swathed in a sweeping intricately-decorated cloak that covered his whole body, save his head and neck. He looked at the Relic Bladers and said, "Everything is prepared. You all know what to do?"

"Yes," replied the group.

Zeus nodded and turned around. He struck a match, and threw it into the mist. A small bonfire materialized. "Then go to your positions."

Mike slowly took the lead, and positioned himself on one side. The other three moved into the six-cornered shape, but the higher point end of the slightly V-shaped formation was missing.

Alexia murmured, "That's Tala's place."

Mike slowly nodded. "There's nothing we can do about that now. It'll still work anyway."

There was eerie silence that followed, with nothing more than crickets. Oddly enough, the funny little bonfire cast no smoke. It was burning from golden-silvery 'coals' that were glowing on the ground. Zeus then murmured, "All of you—your beyblades."

Slowly, each of the Relic Bladers held out they beyblades, which all glimmered in an odd metal gleam into their faces. The beyblades seemed to glow by the light of the bonfire. As each of them held out their beyblades, Zeus said, "Take your bit pieces, and throw them into the fire."

There were snapping sounds as the group unlatched their bit pieces from their beyblades, and held them out for a brief moment at the fire. They gleamed brightly, and then they all threw the sparkling pieces into the flame. As the calm before impact arrived, Zeus said, "Brace yourselves."

Instantly, there was a massive blast of light and energy that blew up from the fire, and a sudden wind that caused all the Relic Bladers to raise their arms up in protection. It shot massive pillar of light into the sky, sweeping up the clouds.

Kai jolted awake. A blinding light had flashed across his eyes. He looked up at the window, and saw that a massive pillar of golden light was outside. He stared at it, appalled, and then, without taking his eyes off the pillar, he groped for his pillow and flung it into the dark behind him.

"Ow!!" Tyson groaned. He got hit. "What the—hey, Kai, what's the big idea?!"

"Get up!" Kai hissed. "And look outside."

Tyson rubbed the sleep from his eyes, which instantly widened when he saw the pillar of light outside, casting a gleam into their windows. "Whoa…"

From a nearby window, Ray materialized. "What took you guys so long to notice?"

"You're up?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

"I guess a guy can't get a drink of water without being partially blinded by a blast of unknown light," Ray grimaced. "That light's been up for thirty full seconds."

"What's causing it?" Kai demanded, getting out of bed as Tyson shook Max and Kenny awake—both of which were as stunned as he was to see it.

Ray nodded down. "I think it's the Relic Bladers. I can't tell because of the fog and the source of the light's too bright for me to get a good look."

"Must be," said Max. "That's not exactly the Demolition Boys' style, is it?"

"But…what are they _doing_ down there?" Tyson blinked.

Kenny was typing away so furiously in his laptop that Dizzi said, "Whoa, Chief—slow down! You're about to beat my processing speed."

"What's up with the light, Dizzi?" asked Kenny.

"Well as far as I can tell it's a powerful energy—concentrated—and there's more than one emission," said Dizzi. "The closest thing I've got to an energy match are that of bit beasts. But it seems pretty powerful for it."

"Whoa…" said Ray. "That's amazing…I've never seen anything like it!"

"Just goes to show…exactly what the Arcans have been keeping underneath all that…" muttered Kai.

Outside, the brilliant light started to dim after the seventieth second, and it became thinner and thinner, until it was a streak of golden light that vanished in a twinkling flash into the sky.

The Relic Bladers looked up at the sky, and Zeus said, "Take your beyblades, and then throw them into the air over your head—and do what you're supposed to. Don't worry—they won't fall and hit you on the head."

Patrick made a face at him, but got ready. Keeping their eyes to the sky, a sudden bright flash lit the sky at the hole in the clouds created by the beam. At this moment, all the Relic Bladers threw up their beyblades into the air over their heads in unison. Instantly, from the hole in the sky, four beams of differently-colored light came blazing from above and shot out in rays. The beyblades hung in the air, amazingly.

Patrick called, "I summon the sacred relic born of the seas and oceans! That which inflicts terror and guards our land of relics! I summon the power of the sacred relic—and come to me as the relic Armada!!"

A brilliant blue stream shot brightly out and crashed into Patrick's beyblade. It hit the beyblade, covering it with glimmering blue light, and it bounced then hitting the fire, turning it blue.

Alexia called, "I summon the sacred relic born of the winds and sky! Creature in control of forces in winds around our land of relics! I summon the power of the sacred relic—and come to me as the relic Aldebaran!!"

Similar to what happened to Patrick, a red light blasted out of the sky, overcame Alexia's beyblade and rebounded off into the fire to change it into red light.

Jade called, "I summon the sacred relic born of wood and wild! Sentinel of all life and harmony residing within our land of relics! I summon the power of the sacred relic—and come to me as the relic Auran!!"

In response, the blaze of green light struck from the sky and overcame her blade, and transformed the bonfire below into flickering greed flames.

Finally, Mike called, "I summon the sacred relic born of the lightning and thunder! Twin of the hallowed guardian of the land of relics! I summon the power of the sacred relic—and come to me as the relic Archonwolf!!"

A crack of silver split from the skies and struck the beyblade over Mike's head, filled it with silver light and rebounded into the flames, turning them silver.

When this final light had set, there was another blast, but this time, it blew like a shockwave around the fire, and impacted all the Relic Bladers, who were all wide open to receive it. For about ten seconds of pandemonium—energy of specific colors flowing into each Relic Blader—there was only the sound of rushing energy.

"Aaah!" Kenny cried as a spark blew off in his laptop. "Dizzi, are you okay?"

Dizzi was only a little frazzled at the sudden spark, but she said, "Blew a fuse, Chief—not so bad…but that energy rush was too much to handle!"

"What is going _on_ out there?!" Max gasped, looking around at his friends with wide blue eyes. "Did you guys hear what they said?"

"Y-Yeah…" said Ray. "I didn't understand it all, though."

"Let's go down there!" said Tyson. "Who knows what's going on down there?!"

Kai was way ahead of him—he was already running to the door. The Bladebreakers all tore after him.

Down below, the finale of the ritual came to close as each beyblader gasped at a final blast—and as instantly as the shockwave came, it died away, leaving four glowing beybladers and beyblades hovering over them.

Slowly, the light around the beybladers vanished, and the beyblades hovered over, floating in front of them—and suddenly flew like bullets to the space above the bonfire, where they all collided with each other in one clank and were rebounded back to their owners, where they stopped and hovered in front of them. Zeus then quietly said, "Take your blades."

The Relic Bladers, who had their eyes closed, now opened them. If one could see their eyes now, one would notice that their eye-color were all suddenly brighter and could be seen from afar—and they all flickered in the light that struck them ever few seconds or so. With an ethereal lethargy they reached out and took each glowing beyblade. 

When they did, the light instantly died down from them, and the Russian night was back. The bonfire vanished. Zeus quickly strode into the mist to retrieve the 'coals', which were now as cold as if they've never been lit. As soon as he'd taken the 'coals', he motioned for all the Relic Bladers to approach. The mist cleared. They now surrounded the ground where the fire was lit, and on the ground were twinkling pieces of metal.

"Take your relics, beybladers," said Zeus, no longer serious and now smiling. The Relic Bladers smiled wearily back and picked up each of their respective bit pieces. As they did, Zeus added, "Remember—don't put them in your beyblades yet."

"We know," Mike said, taking his bit piece and slipping it under his cap for safekeeping as the others also kept theirs.

Zeus, still smiling, now said, "_Now_, you all are ready for tomorrow."

The group all smiled and they all began to head back to the hotel. Jade murmured, "You think anyone noticed?"

"I think _everyone _noticed," said Mike with a grin as he glanced back to look at her and Zeus nodded. "It's just that no one understood it."

"No one but us," smiled Alexia.

Patrick suddenly looked up with now brilliant gray eyes because of the ritual. "We've got company, you guys. Bladebreakers."

The group looked up and saw the Bladebreakers all standing in front of the hotel, waiting for them, it seemed. They all looked rather badly awakened, but were staring at them with eyes that were very awake indeed. Mike stopped in his pace, and they all followed suit.

For long awkward moment, both groups just remained in standoff, unsure of what to say or do—at least, one of them were. And then, Tyson, unable to contain his curiosity, asked, "What—you guys, what were you doing out there?"

The Relic Bladers suddenly stared right at them, and the Bladebreakers all saw their eyes. _Whoa…_ thought Max. _Their eyes are all brighter in color… What could've happened?_

And them Mike, looking indifferent, then replied, "Good luck tomorrow, Bladebreakers." And he started walking as all the others followed. 

They all began to walk past the stunned Bladebreakers. Alexia passed and Kai grabbed her wrist. She turned around to look at him, and for a while they just looked, Kai asking a silent question. Alexia, knowing that this wasn't a good time, shook her head and went after Mike. 

Jade walked past Ray, who just stared straight ahead, not looking at her. She glanced at him slightly, but upon seeing that he was just impassively staring ahead, went on past him and to follow after the others. Tyson glanced at Ray as soon as she was gone, and saw that Ray's fist was shaking as he clenched it tightly. He looked to his face and saw that it was as if he was keeping back something painful.

The Relic Bladers vanished, and Max let out his breath. "I don't know about you guys, but that was just plain scary."

Kenny swallowed hard and nodded. He looked at Kai and asked, "So what now?"

"What else?" Kai muttered. "We face them tomorrow."

Standing by his window, Tala was merely a statue. His face bore no expression, not even when he saw the blasts of light that had appeared just previously. Fortunately, the abbey was so dark in shadow that probably only a few noticed it.

When the light appeared, Tala sensed that the beyblade in his hands was vibrating. The bit beast within it seemed to be wildly agitated. But with supreme control he managed to tame his bit beast down. 

__

Arcans… he thought. _Prepare all you must—I know what that light is. But I won't rest until I've destroyed every single one of you and taken your bit beasts._

****

Mike: The ritual should be a great help.

****

Jade: Yeah… but there are still…some things about it.

****

Patrick: Then hopefully we manage to get through without anyone suspecting…

****

Alexia: I don't think that'll happen… we should just go full force.

****

Mike: (raising an eyebrow) And risk…

****

Jade: Enough. Okay, you guys, here it comes. The Semi-Finals. Review everybody, and tell us what you think of this chapter.


	17. Chapter Seventeen Bladebreakers VS Reli...

**Disclaimer:** The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.

**Jade:** Aaaaaaaahhhh!! Gomen, gomen, gomen, gomen! You guys, I'm really, really really really really really—

**Mike**: Uh, Jade…I think they get the picture?

**Jade**: Oh. Well still, I'm really really sorry about the wait. See, my laptop crashed and we just barely managed to salvage this fic from it, But now we've gotten it fixed—YAY!—and so we can go on with the show!! To make up for the long wait, here's an especially lengthy chapter… It should be too, since it's a special one.

**Mike:** Yep. The battle with the Bladebreakers.

**Patrick:** Things are really going to be heating up.

**Alexia: **Let's see if we eat each other alive in this one…

**Jade:** Won't keep you any longer—here we go! Read and Review!!

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**Bladebreakers VS Relic Bladers**

Kai blinked and opened his eyes. A blast of blinding sunlight met him and he shielded his eyes from it as he got up. From another bed, Max also got up, yawning.

"Man, it feels good after a good night's sleep!" he exclaimed.

"Boy, I'll say," said Tyson, also getting up with a yawn. 

Ray, seeing that they were all already awake, got up as well, and Kenny, from the other bed, slowly pulled himself up, scratching his head. "Whew. Man, today's the day—the Semi-Finals."

Max just answered with another yawn as he looked out the window, and Kenny reached out to open up his laptop—he could hear Dizzi yelling something muffled from inside it. Max blinked and said, "Hey you guys? I just noticed something. Is it always so bright in Russia in the morning?"

Before realization can sink to their newly-awakened senses, Kenny opened his laptop and Dizzi began shrieking, "Well _finally!!_ You guys, you've overslept!! It's already ten forty-five in the morning—the Semi-Finals had already begun in BIOVOLT stadium!!"

"_WHAT?!_" came the chorus of the Bladebreakers, and they all tore out of their beds in their haste—Ray ripped his bedsheet in the process—and began zipping around all over the room to get ready.

"Oh, man, oh man," said Tyson as he hopped up and down on one foot while trying to pull a sock on the other. "I can't believe this!"

"How could we have possibly overslept?" Ray gasped, tying on his belt while his toothbrush was still in his mouth.

"We were so tired yesterday I guess," said Max, clipping on his suspender while tying his shoes and then he fell over on tripping over his laces.

"Argh, this is _your_ fault, Kai!" said Tyson as he flopped down to tie on his own shoes. "I _told_ you we should've stopped already!"

"Shut up!" Kai exclaimed, although knowing perfectly well that Tyson had a point. He finished up stuffing his feet into his shoes and said, "Just hurry up, and come on!!"

The group, after haphazardly getting fully dressed, then blazed like crazy out of their room in a series of rapid blurs. The door slammed shut and everything was silent in the empty Bladebreaker room. In the silence, four newly-upgraded beyblades gleamed quietly in the sunlight on the center table amidst the sofas as the Bladebreakers just emerged out of the hotel doors down below.

There was a moment of silence, and then there was the sound of pounding feet in the hall and the room door crashed open and the boys all tore back in with panic.

"Our beyblades!!" they chorused as they ran for the table.

Emily was pacing around in the stands to distract herself from looking at the match which could only be described as sheer murder for the Majestics.

"You guys…where could the Bladebreakers be?!" she asked. "The match between the Demolition Boys and the Majestics is about to be over!"

"Well it _will_ be if Enrique loses to Ian," said Michael, unlike Emily, unable to tear his eyes away from the match.

"Like that?" Steve asked. "He will."

From the place where the White Tigers sat, Mariah was looking around to keep herself from looking at the way Amphilyon was crashing into the arena wall. "Where could those Bladebreakers be? They're so late!"

"You think they overslept or something?" asked Kevin.

"Or they might've been detained or something," said Mariah.

"No," said Lee. "Kai must've trained the life out of them all and now they've overslept and got late. They better get here soon…things don't look good for the Majestics."

And from where the Relic Bladers stood quietly in one hall entrance to the arena area, Mike murmured, "They'll be here. It's impossible that they won't."

"Why are _we_ awake, anyway?" asked Patrick, stifling his yawn. "We got kept up half the night."

"Well I don't know," shrugged Jade. "But those Bladebreakers better be here soon. If they don't make it to our match, they'll forfeit. And that's not the way I want to win over them."

"It _won't_ be," said Alexia. "They'll make it."

There was a roar from the serpent bit beast and everyone winced. Enrique knew that he was about to get slashed down but refused to give in. "Come on, Amphilyon, I know that you can still do it!"

"Give it up!" Ian smirked.

Ian's Wyborg crashed into Amphilyon again, and Jade could look no longer. "This is too painful to see."

"They've obviously cheating," said Patrick. "I mean, you saw Zeus' analysis—they're using unorthodox methods to create beyblades! And what they do to train their beybladers! This is ridiculous—I can't believe that this is still going on without the International Beyblading Association putting a stop to it."

"With Voltaire and Boris?" Mike snorted. "I think it's not so unbelievable."

There was a cry from Enrique, and his beyblade crashed down to a stop in front of him. The Russian audience all cheered for the victory of their hometown heroes—two straight wins and landing them a slot in the finals. Ian strode over to Enrique with a smirk, and held out his beyblade.

"No!" Enrique cried. "Amphilyon!!"

The bit beast was practically vacuumed out of his beyblade, and the Majestics leapt to their feet in horror as their own bit beasts began to get dragged out and got sucked into the other Demolition Boys' beyblades. They were thunderstruck, but there was nothing that could be done about it any longer.

DJ cried, "It's all over!! The Demolition Boys enter the finals!!" The screen displayed it proudly, and DJ said, "And now, for the second match-up of the Semi-Final Round!!"

There was another uproar, and the Relic Bladers all looked up from the entrance hall. Mike looked at them and asked, "Are you all ready?"

"As we'll ever be," Alexia sighed.

The Relic Bladers emerged out of the entrance hall, and the stands burst into cheer for the group of talented beybladers. But everyone knew, of course, that the Bladebreakers were still nowhere to be found as of the time. The Majestics, still looking rather disappointed, looked up in realization. There was an almost anxious wait. 

The All-Stars, nearest to the ground entrance into the arena, kept a watch for when the Bladebreakers should arrive, and sure enough, after a few moments…

Five blurs tore through the hall and came into a skidding, crashing stop—meaning that upon stopping, they all flew into each other and collapsed into a yelling heap. The entire stadium burst into laughter and applause at their entrance.

DJ dramatically held out his hands and said, "Ladies and gentlemen—the Bladebreakers are in the building!"

There was an even louder cheer now and applause, and, red-faced, the Bladebreakers got to their feet. They saw that from across them, the Relic Bladers were also applauding with smirks on their faces, but their eyes were still glowing bright—meaning that whatever happened in the blast of light last night had lasting or permanent effect.

Oliver, who'd been mourning for the loss of his Unicolyon just a moment ago, was now laughing. "Well, they made it. Fine way to make us all laugh to keep us from getting down because of what happened awhile ago."

"Painful as it was to lose our bit beasts…I still feel that there is hope yet," said Robert. "And that's among them." He motioned to the two beyblading groups. 

The Bladebreakers stood across the arena from the Relic Bladers, and both groups now stared at each other. Patrick smirked. "You're late."

"But we're here," Tyson smirked back. "And we're ready for you."

"As we are for you," replied Mike.

"We'll see," said Kai, frowning slightly.

"We sure will," said Mike. He turned to his group and they all began talking, and then Tyson looked at his own friends and said, "I guess they're discussing the lineup. What about for us?"

Both groups discussed the lineup, and the Majestics, All-Stars and White Tigers all sat near each other, anxiously.

"This looks like a really tough fight," said Michael.

"Yeah, we don't have a clue on who could possibly win between the two of them," said Lee.

Robert said thoughtfully, "The Bladebreakers are the types who don't seem to be much, but they always make it through in a surprise move and they have an almost unbelievable stroke of luck going for them. But the Relic Bladers…they're something else."

"Did you see the light outside last night?" Mariah whispered.

"How could we not?" Enrique asked. "It was blazing there like a bonfire for all of Russia to see."

"What do you think it did to them?" asked Emily. "I sensed massive energy coming from it and it hit them all."

"It's a major power-up," said Robert, and they all looked at him. He glanced at them and said, "I've…never entirely heard of it. I heard bstories from my uncle who married Jade's Arcan mother. He said that because Arcanis is called 'land of relics', sometimes they can call out and harness pure power of bit beasts. Those who're able to get that power will be practically unbeatable—if in full force. Except that no one knows how to do it."

"Then how come _they_ can do it?" said Emily.

"I don't know, don't ask me!" said Robert. "All I know is if that _is_ what they've done—the Bladebreakers still have a shot to win."

"What?!" said Johnny. "But you just said that they're powered up by bit beasts!"

"But it didn't make them dumb," replied Robert. "They probably can't and won't use full power. Not with the Demolition Boys here. That's one of the Arcans' greatest abilities—to keep their opponents always in the dark about them."

"So…that's to the Bladebreakers' great advantage—they can full power the Arcans, and the Arcans can't full-power them," said Johnny rubbing his chin with a grin. "Oh, that's a wicked deal."

"Yeah…" said Robert. "And if we know the Bladebreakers—they'll take it and bring it all the way home."

When it was all decided, DJ motioned to the large screen and said, "And here is the lineup for the Semi-Final match for the Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers!!"

The screen shimmered and six player pictures appeared. There was murmuring from the audience and both groups stared at the pairs. For the first match, Max was going against Alexia, the second, Ray against Jade, and finally, Tyson against Patrick.

Both teams then turned to each other, and a practically tangible aura was sparking across from them. The stands waited in breathless anxiety, and even the Demolition Boys from above watched to see who their opponents were to be.

As Alexia walked forward to the expected Midnight Diamond arena, she looked up across her and saw the Demolition Boys in a lofty perch in the bleachers. She stifled her breath as she saw Tala standing in front of them, staring at her as she walked. His face was incredibly impassive, and she knew that he was gone and beyond reach now—unless they beat him and crack down.

_Well…I'm not going to let _anyone_ stand in the way of getting Tala back,_ Alexia thought fervently. _Even if they're the Bladebreakers._ She looked at Max with blazing scarlet eyes, and Max gasped and took half a step back. "Whoa…"

Tyson backed slightly. "Man, what happened?! She looks scary!"

"She looks _angry_," Ray corrected.

Kai looked up to the loft where the Demolition Boys were and saw Tala there, watching the battle with the other Demolition boys. Kai frowned as he saw him, and he turned back to Alexia. And he said to his compatriots, "And I think I know why." He called out to Max, "Don't take any chances, Max! She's not going to go easy on you."

"Don't you think I've noticed?" Max said, lifting his shooter.

Alexia raised an eyebrow at him, and then took out her beyblade, and held it out before her. She looked at her friends for a moment, who nodded. Alexia turned back to Max and muttered, "Let's do this, Aldebaran."

She held up something glittering with her other hand into the light. "What's that?" Max breathed.

"It's a bit piece," said Emily, standing halfway out of her seat to get a better look.

Alexia opened her brilliantly red eyes and suddenly snapped the bit piece into place. "Look out!" Ray cried and everyone ducked as a blast of red shockwave reverberated around the arena and then vanished.

"Whoa!!" Tyson gasped. "How did you know, Ray?"

"Intuition," replied Ray dryly as he got up. "I've have a feeling about that after seeing the spectacle last night…"

"That was cool!" Gary exclaimed and Lee shushed him.

From above, Tala's eyes widened only so slightly, but his face remained impassive as he stared at the red beyblade and its beyblader.

The red beyblade completed, Alexia slapped it into her shooter and aimed to launch without even blinking from what had happened. "Come on, let's do this."

DJ, though noticeably frazzled, then trumpeted, "Bladers!! On with the match! At the count! Three—two—one—_let it riiiiiiippp!!!_"

"Draciel—go!!" Max yelled, launching with all his might.

Alexia did not give a yell, but her eyes blazed a stunning scarlet as she shot the beyblade with a loud bang and her silver trenchcoat flew back in a billow.

Draciel impacted on the arena, and Aldebaran crashed in after, and the red beyblade immediately went in hot pursuit of Draciel. Max, alarmed, cried, "Fortress Defense, Draciel!!"

The beyblade glowed in purple, strengthening in defense, but Alexia cried, "That's not good enough!!" And she whipped out her hand and commanded, "Take him out of here, Aldebaran!!"

The red beyblade sped after Draciel like a comet and had instant repeated impact all around Draciel, and shockwave upon shockwave of impact in the bowl followed. Sparks flew all around the bowl, and Max clenched his fists. "Hang in there, Draciel!!"

The green beyblade pulled away and crashed at Aldebaran, but the red beyblade was barely even moved. "What?!" Max gasped.

"She's too angry, Max, circle around!!" Tyson yelled.

Max swallowed and nodded, making Draciel go circling around. He didn't expect Alexia to be this vicious today. He had an idea. _If my Draciel's strong enough, and can catapult, I can have him circle around and slam right into Aldebaran!_

"Draciel!! Catapult maneuver!" Max instructed.

Draciel sped up the pace, moving around like a green comet around the arena as what Max had practiced on before. It circled around Aldebaran, and then with a mighty crack it suddenly slammed into Aldebaran, knocking the red beyblade hard into the wall at Alexia's side.

Aldebaran slammed into the wall, and sparks flew up in a shower, and Alexia cried out at some hit her. She raised her arms in protection against the sparks.

"Alexia!" the Relic Bladers exclaimed in alarm, and Kai took a step forward. Max gasped.

"I'm fine!" Alexia called back, flicking the flecks of soot off her arms with watery eyes and concentrated once more on her beyblade battle.

"I—I didn't mean to—I'm sorry!" Max cried. 

"Don't be, Max," Alexia muttered. She looked at Aldebaran and cried, "Aldebaran—_Pegasus Wings_!!"

A powerful red light exploded from her beyblade and shot to the sky. The sound of hoofbeats reverberated ominously in the air, and a huge winged thoroughbred horse came thundering down and with huge wings beating. The sound caused the arena to tremble, and Max gasped at the sight of it.

Turning to his own beyblade, he cried, "Fortress Defense!!"

The massive Draciel bit beast came out of the beyblade and began to rise up and go against the Aldebaran bit beast. The horse, wings flapping, reared back on Draciel who kept up his defense.

Down below, Aldebaran had a massive impact on Draciel and was now straining against the green beyblade with sparks and bolts of energy.

"Come on, Aldebaran!!" Alexia cried as debris began to fly, and the arena was shaking violently.

"Keep going Draciel—you can take her!!" Max cried.

Draciel indeed held out to Aldebaran's attack, and managed to keep the rearing winged horse at bay. The people at the stands were cheering.

"Go on, Max—you can do it!!" Tyson cheered. "Keep going!"

"Yeah!" said Ray. "Keep going!!"

Alexia clenched her fists and looked back up at where Tala was. He simply stared back at her with a cold indifferent look. Ian, who saw this, raised an eyebrow. _It's her again. Doesn't she know that she'll never get Tala back?_

Alexia looked down at her hands, and a teardrop fell onto her fist. Max, who saw it, blinked and stared at her. "A-Alexia?" he asked. He glanced up and saw Tala, and then looked back at Alexia, realizing why she was so angry. _It's him! Tala! Oh man, then that means I'm in real trouble!_

And then, without warning, Alexia gave a scream, "_Finish him off!!_"

The stallion reared back with a loud neigh and brought his huge hooves crashing down into Draciel's chest. The red beyblade gave a powerful slam at the green one, splitting the attack ring and sending the green blade flying off the arena for Max to catch. Max, appalled, stared at his beyblade, and saw that it was badly gouged and battered.

The light died away, and Alexia, breathing hard, summoned it back. It zipped back to her and she caught it, was forced to step back a few paces before falling in a sitting position on he ground. She looked at her beyblade and gave a small smile. "Thank you, Aldebaran."

The bit piece gleamed, and she looked up at where Tala was. He merely frowned. Alexia thought, _I'll see you in the finals._ And she got up.

"The winner!!" DJ exclaimed at the crowd's tumult, "is Alexia of the Relic Bladers!"

"That was amazing!" said Emily. "And Max held out so well!"

"Yeah—looks like Kai's training worked on them—even if they _did_ end up getting late," said Lee.

Max slowly turned around and walked to his friends. "I'm sorry, you guys…" he murmured. "I lost."

Tyson smiled and patted him on the back. "Don't worry about it, Max—you did a spectacular job out there! Really! I didn't think anybody could stand up against something like _that_."

"Thanks," said Max with a faint smile. "I guess I should've known. I know how it feels to be fighting so hard to prove something to someone important to you. I won with that inspiration for my mom in America, and she has the same one today because of Tala."

"Yeah," said Kenny. "She sure was determined. But still, you did impressively well. Come on, Max—I'll get to repairing your blade."

Kai said nothing. He looked at the screen for a moment, and then looked at his compatriots. "Ray, you're next. We need to win to keep us in the match."

"I understand," nodded Ray.

"No you don't," said Kai. "You know who your opponent is, don't you?"

Ray said nothing, but his sight crossed over to where the Arcans were, and Jade slowly stepped away from them, her bow and quiver full of arrows on her back. The bright green eyes were still serious, just as they'd been last night.

Ray looked back at him and said, "Yes. I understand. Don't worry."

From the Relic Blader side, Mike looked at Jade, who had her back to him, and asked, "Are you all right with this?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Jade asked without turning to him, and Mike just shrugged and said, "Just asking. If we win this one, we're going straight to the finals."

"I know," replied Jade, taking out her Auran beyblade. "Don't worry. I'll go and bring him down."

And she walked away to the beystadium. As she did, though, Patrick raised his eyebrow and said, "You know, I highly doubt that. I know that she's good, but she has the tendency to be emotional. That's Ray she's against there."

"She knows that," replied Mike, who was watching as Zeus treated Alexia's burns from the sparks in her match. "But, as you say she has the tendency to be emotional, that also means that she can snap. And when she does, that's pretty bad."

"Oh, referring to our last tournament in Arcanis, don't you?" Alexia said, smirking.

"Let's just say that I wouldn't want to cross her when she's like this," replied Mike, smiling.

From the bleachers, Robert was gripping the railing so hard that they were threatening to break. Johnny stared at him. "Jeez, Robert, get a grip. What's wrong with you?"

"Come on, it's obvious," said Enrique. "It's a match against Jade and Ray. Of course he'd be uptight."

"Would you all just shush?!" Robert hissed. "I'm trying to watch."

"All right! Sheesh…"

Jade and Ray stepped up to the Midnight Diamond bowl, and DJ said, "Here we go!! The second match is about to commence! It's Ray of the Bladebreakers versus Jade of the Relic Bladers!"

There was a cheer from the audience. Ray stared at Jade and saw how somber she looked. Her green eyes were still very bright—he could clearly see it from where he was standing. _I've no choice…I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to beat you._

Jade stared at him a moment, and then took out her green beyblade. Then, holding it out at arm's length, she took out her bit piece with her other hand. She raised it up, and snapped it into place. 

Ray gasped and ducked with everyone else as a green shockwave penetrated the arena again and then vanished. Jade then drew out an arrow, positioned her bow and slammed her beyblade into the shooter. "All right, Auran—let's go."

"I'm counting on you, Driger," Ray murmured as he placed his own beyblade into his shooter and prepared to launch.

The stands were all silent, waiting, save for Emily, who was muttering how "those shockwaves coming from their blades are short-circuiting my computer again". 

DJ, glad that he was on his perch there, then said, "All right!! The second match begins!! Three—two—one—_let it riiiipp!!_"

"Driger!!" Ray cried, firing his beyblade, and Jade aimed and shot her arrow with perfect accuracy, but, as Alexia, did not call out to her bit beast.

Both beyblades crashed into the arena. Ray decided to make the first move now before Jade could do anything that could frankly jeopardize his game. "Driger—attack!!"

The beyblade shone and sped after Auran and there was a brilliant crash. Everyone stared as Driger strained against Auran's force of spin. Ray looked up at Jade, but her face was impassive, and she merely watched as Driger continued to strain against her beyblade.

_What is she doing?_ he wondered. He looked down at his beyblade and realized that fact—Auran didn't seem to be getting scratched.

"Well then, _Tiger Claw!!!_" Ray yelled.

The roaring sound of a tiger filled the arena and Lee puffed up with pride from the bleachers, sure that Ray was going to win. Driger sped after Auran, and then just as he was about to reach the green beyblade, it suddenly shot out of the way like a green streak of light.

"Auran, go around!" Jade commanded. The green beyblade made a turn around the arena, and was soon going right at Driger. Ray gasped and had Driger evade as Auran barely missed by inches.

Jade kept down her impatience that she missed. "Auran, keep pursuing him!!"

It was a game for the two, with each beyblade going at each other, tearing at each other every chance they got. Driger crashed into Auran, sending the other beyblade down the arena a moment, and Auran countered with a hit that was much stronger because of the weight. Driger flew to the edge of the arena and nearly dropped out, but it slipped back in.

Ray let his breath out in relief. The two were speed demons, running across the arena and striking with maddening force each time. Everyone watched in shock as the two impacted, went about, and impacted again. They were able to go against each other with such intense speed that it was taking their concentration just to see what was happening.

The two beyblades were two streaks of color in the arena, bouncing and crashing in a multitude of beams. Jade was chasing after Ray and was having a hard time, and Ray himself could barely get a good hit on Auran now. 

"They're both so fast!" Mariah gasped. "I didn't think anybody could be just as fast as Ray…"

"The Relic Bladers sure prove that wrong the whole way," muttered Steve.

Max was biting his nails. "Come on, Ray…come on…"

"Boy, it's a good thing there's no time limit," muttered Kenny. "Otherwise this would just go on and on in a draw! Look at them! They can barely land a hit on each other!"

"Jade, come on!" Patrick howled. "Take him!"

"He's fast," Jade answered. "Very fast."

"So are you," Ray remarked. "I can't even see you properly now."

Then the two of them both looked up, determined looks on their face, and instantly, there was a blast of energy, and both beyblades impacted to each other in full force. There was a blinding light, and both beyblades rebounded off each other and flew to either side of the arena in crashes.

Both beyblades were still going. Soon, the speed chase was on again, and Auran landed a hit on Driger that knocked it into the wall, and then slammed back onto Auran like a slingshot. Auran crashed back and flung itself back to Driger.

"It's like watching a pair of hunting animals crash at each other," said Emily.

"I can't give up now…" muttered Jade. Hey eyes began to glow again. Ray, seeing it, went to drastic measures. "Driger, do it now!! Tiger Claw!!"

And just as he did, Jade yelled, "Auran!! Green Comet!!"

Auran exploded into green light, and the brilliant bit beast materialized. It was a huge beautiful fox with seven flowing tails, and with a snarl it leapt from above. Driger burst out of Ray's beyblade and met the fox with all the force of a white tiger.

There was a powerful impact to each other, and both beyblades had a sickening crash into each other. Ray stared at Jade, who was breathing hard, concentrating on her beyblade and her bit beast. Feeling his gaze, she looked up at him and she saw a determination that matched hers. 

The two bit beasts snarled, clawed and scratched from above them as both beyblades kept carving at one each other with sparks flying and almost spilling over the arena.

_I have to win,_ Jade thought, _I have to win so we can get to the finals!_

_I have to win_, thought Ray, _My friends are counting on me to keep them in the game!_

Both beyblades pulled back and were circling around, and then suddenly they came to a powerful smash at each other. The force of impact blew both beyblades out of the beystadium in a bang of energy.

Ray grabbed his beyblade as it flew back to him in rapid force of probably mach 4, but Jade wasn't able to catch Auran and it hit her right at the chest. She cried out and hit the ground. 

"Jade!!" came the chorus of the Relic Bladers. 

Robert, who'd already been on his feet, leaning as far out as he could over the railing during the match, now gasped in horror and fell off the bleachers, but he picked himself up and tore across the arena. 

"One in one hundred," Patrick snarled. "One in one hundred catches, we miss and this happens."

"Occupational hazard," Mike muttered. "Jade, come on, say something!"

Ray was so shocked that he dropped Driger and ran across the arena. Robert was there for ages, and he looked up at Ray with only a sideward glance as he opened Jade's jacket. "She's not hurt or anything," said Robert.

Jade coughed and suddenly opened her eyes, and she shook her head at them. "You guys, I'm fine—I'm okay."

Ray let out his breath. He smiled at her and said, "Well done. You were great."

Jade laughed hoarsely and he held the hand she held out. She said, "You too. Good going, Ray. Looks like the Bladebreakers are staying for another match."

DJ, seeing that Jade was up, said, "She's okay! And the second match is a tie!!"

There was a tumultuous din from all directions. "This is turning out to be a really awesome Semi-Final match up!" DJ crowed. "And now here come our next bout!! It's Tyson of the Bladebreakers, versus Patrick of the Relic Bladers!!"

Tyson looked up and locked eyes with Patrick, who smirked at him. Steam came out of Tyson's ears as he leapt up. "I swear, that guy's really trying me!!"

"Whoa, easy, Tyson," said Max. "Simmer down and concentrate. You know what happened last time!"

"Yeah!" said Tyson, stomping to the arena just as Ray returned and Max handed him his dropped beyblade. Tyson roared across the beystadium, "Hey Patrick!! It's time for our rematch!!"

With a snort, Patrick rose, his scythe swinging in his hands. "Exactly what I was waiting for. Have you improved now, Tyron?"

"How many times do I have to tell you—it's _Tyson_!" his opponent yelled. "And after I beat you, make sure you remember it!"

Ray sighed. "Tyson can be such a hot-head. He's got to learn not to get his emotions get the better of him."

"Like you when you took on Jade?" asked Max, grinning and elbowing Ray in the ribs. 

"Hey, that's different," said Ray, coloring to his scalp. "We were both serious on the match then and had nothing to do with anything you're implying. Besides, she and I are on good terms now."

"And the definition of good terms is…?" Kai asked.

"Not you too, Kai, please…" Ray groaned.

As Patrick walked up to the arena and Tyson, still fuming, was standing across him. Patrick smirked at him as he held out his beyblade. "Watch out."

He snapped in his own bit piece into place, and crashing blue shockwave burst from the beyblade. And as everyone ducked to avoid it before it vanished, Tyson popped back up and said, "That's it—I'm taking you down!"

"Try me!" Patrick snarled, slamming his beyblade into his shooter and preparing to launch.

Tyson aimed his own launcher, a very determined look in his eyes. _I've dealt with you once before. And I'm going to beat you this time…_

"Bladers, are you ready?" DJ called and then saw them ready to launch. "Okay, then! Three—two—one—_let it riiiiippp!!_"

"Go Dragoon!!" Tyson yelled, launching so hard that his shooter emitted smoke. 

Patrick swung his scythe over his head and brought it in a swinging arc, sending the beyblade flying into the ring after Dragoon. 

The two beyblades circled the ring like a pair of duelers. Patrick smirked as Tyson rounded the arena a second time. "Not in the mood to attack today?"

"I'm not going to fall for that trick again," Tyson replied.

"Really…what trick?" Patrick asked.

"The trick of making me attack and then you'd overpower me."

Patrick laughed derisively at this. "It's not a trick—I _can_ overpower you. Let me show you! _Go, Armada!!_"

Armada suddenly leapt forward at Dragoon and before Tyson could realize what was happening, Armada had slammed hard into Dragoon and sent it crashing into the wall.

"Thrash him!!" Patrick said imperiously, and Armada proceeded to do so most obligingly, like it was the type of beyblade that really needed to be let out to go wreck things. Armada repeatedly crashed and bashed at Dragoon with relentless force of a starving shark moving in for the kill.

"It's going to rip Dragoon apart!" Emily gasped from the stands.

"Patrick sure lives up to his reputation as being very vicious…" murmured Enrique.

From the Relic Blader side, Mike remarked, "It's seeing him go like this that makes me rather relieved that _he_ wasn't the one taken in by BIOVOLT."

"Hey, Patrick's wild, but he's not stupid," said Jade. "He knows how stupid it is to go to somewhere like _BIOVOLT._"

"Ah, and thank goodness he does," said Zeus.

The relentless bashing continued, and Armada was once again threatening to split apart Dragoon. However, Tyson was not going to take it sitting down. "Come on, Dragoon! You can do it!"

Dragoon suddenly gleaming in blue light and knocked Patrick away for a brief moment. As Armada was reeled back for a moment, Dragoon shot off, did a U-turn and crashed Armada from behind and forced the other beyblade to the wall. Then Dragoon bolted off again, amidst the cheering.

Patrick nodded and said, "Nice shot. Won't happen again, though."

Armada zoomed back to chase Dragoon, and repeatedly slammed the beyblade and did not cease. Again and again, it crashed and Dragoon bounced off, nearly falling off the arena, but it slid back in and rounded the dish again.

Kai was watching the match intently. There had to be some way that Tyson can win against this ruthless beyblade. 

Considering all the other matches that the Relic Bladers had, he'd been starting to notice something. Their beyblades seem to move by themselves and it takes their intense concentration to control. Their speed practically can't be stopped because each time they return to the owner, the owner nearly gets flung back by the blade. And the owners themselves can sometimes get hurt by the effects of their own blade. And now there was the fact that they'd performed that odd ritual, and they didn't seem to be using full advantage of it.

_And that can only mean one thing…_ Kai thought. _The one thing that nobody's noticed yet._

He leapt to his feet and yelled, "Tyson, just keep going and don't stop! _The Relic Bladers can't control their beyblades properly!_"

"What?!" came the united chorus of everyone that heard.

Mike stood and Kai glared at him. "I've figured it out. The way you get flung back by your own blades, the way you can't stop them, and the way it always takes a great effort for each and every one of you to control them in the arena and sometimes you don't manage to. You can't control your blades."

"Yes we can," said Mike. "Otherwise how could we have done so well?"

"You never use full power," replied Kai. "Your beyblades are too powerful for you, aren't they? That's why you can't take out your full force and risk losing control of the blade completely!"

There was a moment of silence. Mike was not reacting, merely having his eyes closed. All of a sudden, he looked up with blazing bright eyes. "Patrick."

"I gotcha, Fearless Leader," Patrick replied, his gray eyes glowing. "_Thrash!!_"

Armada suddenly burst into light and collided again and again on Dragoon. A piece of attack ring flew off again. Sparks flew everywhere in a relentless force. Dragoon was very near the verge of destruction and Tyson knew that he had only one shot—one risk that he could take and win. 

And Patrick was still in command of the Armada. "Bring him down, Armada!! _Great White Wave_!!"

Armada pulled away and then a massive figure of a blue shark exploded from the bit piece. Armada began to multiply and they knew that he was going to use the same attack that he'd done to the All-Stars before.

But Tyson was finally ready to use his trump card. "Wait for it…" he muttered.

The wave of white sparks came rushing at Dragoon and Armada came to close in for the kill. And then, when it was close enough, Tyson yelled, "Now, Dragoon!! _Phantom Hurricane!!_"

A blazing blue dragon came roaring out of the beyblade and created what was probably the most powerful Phantom Hurricane that Tyson had created to date. The wind all over the arena went nuts and caught up in the storm. Patrick raised his arms for protection and he gasped as he saw his Armada shake, and then get lifted from the ground.

"No!" Patrick gasped. "How did he—"

"I noticed, Patrick—and I'm a beyblader too so I know," said Tyson. "Your beyblade has to move so fast to be everywhere at the same time—and because of that it gets lighter because the center of gravity isn't pulling on it so much. It's moving so much!" He rubbed his nose and snorted. "All I had to do was wait for you to do your move. I thought it all out!"

He looked up Dragoon and cried, "Take him down, Dragoon!!"

With a roar, the dragon caught the great shark and brought him crashing down into the arena in a blast of bit beast energy. There was a moment, and Armada crashed with a clank at Patrick's feet and a few hairline cracks appeared. Patrick, thanking the cosmos for sparing his toes, looked up at Tyson, who smirked and said, "I told you I'd bring you down."

There was an instant roar of applause and cheering from the stands at the spectacular display of technique that only Tyson can seem to show at such desperate moments. Everyone was on their feet, cheering.

"Well done, Tyson!" Max yelled, leaping on him with Kenny. "You did it!! You won!"

"Yeah, good job, Tyson!" laughed Ray, coming over and Kai nodded, a slight smile on his face.

DJ was ecstatic. "Oh, can everyone believe this?! Such a spectacular and unexpected win from the Bladebreakers! Ladies and gentlemen, this must've been the first time that a Relic Blader has lost a match! But the Bladebreakers had pulled it off! The winner for this round is Tyson of the Bladebreakers—and we are going to a _sudden-death match!!_"

Patrick walked back to the Relic Bladers, hanging his head. Mike was standing there in front of him, and Patrick fell to his knees. "I'm ashamed of myself. I lost."

"You're acting stupid—get up," said Mike, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I can't," said Patrick. "I can't bear the shame of even looking at you guys right now."

"Look, we're not going to kill you just because you lost a match, Pat," said Jade. "Now get up, and Zeus will rebalance your blade. We haven't lost anything great yet. There's still the sudden-death match to go. It's Fearless Leader's turn to play."

This seemed to give Patrick new heart as he looked up to Mike a lot and respected him greatly as their leader. He leapt to his feet. "That's right! There's still our captain. There's no way he'll let us down."

"You guys give me more credit than I'm entitled to," Mike remarked.

"Oh and _now_ you choose to act humble," snorted Alexia. "He who'd been so indifferent all the way here."

Mike said nothing and instead walked off and headed for the arena, his sword in one hand and his shooter in the other. He stood there silently, and Kai broke off from the ranks of his friends and stepped up to position from across him. He smirked and said, "Are you annoyed that I guessed your secret?"

"Actually…I'm impressed," said Mike with a shrug. "I must say that you're pretty observant. However…there is _one_ little flaw in that deduction of yours…"

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe we _can_ eventually learn how to control them?" said Mike with a grin. "They _are_ our beyblades after all… And I'd like to thank you Bladebreakers—because now, after fighting you all—now we _do_." He tore the rip-sword into the shooter. "Prepare yourself, Kai. It's déjà vu for you."

Kai snarled and got his own shooter ready. "I've been waiting for this rematch."

DJ then said, "And for the sudden-death round—both captains have come to center!! It's Kai of the Bladebreakers and Mike of the Relic Bladers!"

"Well, here's another interesting match-up," said Brad Best. "Kai is one fiery beyblader, and his bit beast Dranzer can scorch you out of existence!"

"But Mike here isn't one you talk to on being scorched," said AJ Topper, "because he'll do the lightning-scorch on _you_. His bit beast Archonwolf is as great as they come with the Relic Blades too…"

Mike held out his beyblade, and slipped the bit piece out from under his cap. He lifted it up and said, "Here's to the battle, then—let's see if your theory's right."

He snapped the bit piece into place, and by now everyone knew what was coming and all ducked as a powerful silver surge of a shockwave blew out all around Mike, who instantly slammed his beyblade into his shooter and aimed. Kai blinked a moment, but frowned and matched his gaze.

DJ said, "And now—we'll see who lives and goes on, and who gets sent home! The final match—Three—two—one—_let it riiippp!!_"

Both rips of the beybladers were drowned out by the roars of the crowd and both shooters smoked and sparked at release. Dranzer struck the arena and sped off as Archonwolf hit another side and also went around. Both of them didn't wait for anything, they immediately rammed at each other.

Dranzer, being lighter than Archonwolf, flew off and hit the wall, but bounded back and crashed into Archonwolf. The silver beyblade spiraled off for a moment before rocketing back against Dranzer. There was a sickening crash, and Dranzer flew into the air.

Kai took his chance. "Now, Dranzer—Flame Saber!!"

The powerful sound of Dranzer's screech sounded in the arena, and the beyblade burst into flame, rocketing down at Mike, who just smirked as the beyblade descended. There was crash and for a moment, everything was covered in smoke.

The smoke cleared, and Dranzer was spinning at one side, while a sparking barrier covered Archonwolf, unscathed. Mike tsked. "You're too impatient…you forgot I had that, didn't you?" His eyes blazed. "Take this!! _Voltage Fang!!_"

Kai cried out as a powerful crack of lightning impacted Dranzer and sent his beyblade flying. It nearly flew out of the bowl, but fortunately crashed into one of the barriers and rebounded back. Kai gritted his teeth as Dranzer rounded the bowl. _I can't take risks with him… He's too good…_

"Go, Archonwolf!!" Mike yelled. "Batter him down!"

Archonwolf charged like a silvery rocket and crashed into Dranzer, tearing right at the beyblade, but Dranzer held on, refusing to give in. Both beyblades strained against each other, and a pair of bit beasts exploded out of both beyblades. Dranzer flew out in flaming splendor, and Archonwolf snapped at him, nearly blinding in silver light. 

"Neither of them is giving," said Ray. "Look at them!"

"They're not going to give," said Jade. "Both of them are as determined to win this as the other…"

Kai then yelled, "_Flame Saber!!_" as Dranzer broke off and took to the air with a powerful screech, wings beating the air and sending a powerful heat wave around.

Mike whipped about his arm and yelled, "_Voltage Fang!!_"

Both attacks and bit beasts met as one descended and the other rose up, and there was a deafening crash as Dranzer collided with Archonwolf, and a blast was emitted that nearly blinded everyone. But they all saw enough to see two beyblades go flying out of the arena in the force of the explosion, and both of them clanked at their respective bladers' feet.

A stunned hush fell. Both bladers bent down to pick up their beyblades, and their teammates leapt their feet, appalled.

"No way…" Tyson muttered.

"Is this for real?" Alexia murmured.

Jade instantly looked up at DJ, who as stock still on top of the catwalk. "Hey! Ref! Verdict any century now, please!!" she yelled up at him impatiently.

"All right!" said DJ, staring at her. "Take it easy, miss, I'm stunned too. It's a tie! But…we've never had a tie for the sudden death match before…"

"DO OVER!!" both bladers at either side of the beystadium yelled.

"Do…do over?!" DJ's jaw dropped.

"You heard them!" Patrick snapped. "Do over!"

"All…all right then," said DJ, completely befuddled but knowing that there was no choice. "Do over! Three—two—one—_let it riiippp!!_"

Kai roared as he fired his blade, "I'm not going to hold back this time!!"

"You're kidding yourself if you think you can win!!" Mike cried as he shot his blade into the arena. And the do over match commenced in absolute uproar.

"This is sickening…" Ian remarked as he watched the two bladers go at it, keeping on going at each other relentlessly. "Do over?"

"There's no choice," replied Spencer.

"They're not doing too badly," Bryan then responded.

The Demolition Boys all calmly turned away as there was another blinding flash and beyblades clanked out of the stadium again. And it was followed by another rapid demand of a do over from the ones below.

"Not again…" groaned Ian. "This is getting redundant."

A few moments later, another flash, beyblades dropped, and even angrier this time, they demanded for a do over again. It was obvious that Kai and Mike were getting increasingly irritated by these turn of events—neither of them can one-up each other because, as captains, both of them were determined to push their team to the finals.

Stalemate.

"I can't stand another one of this…" Ian rolled his eyes. "Why don't we just eliminate them both and get it over with?! We'll get their bit beasts anyway…"

And then, Tala suddenly stood up and he walked to the railing. And he looked to DJ, who was looking incredibly frazzled now by all the happenings in this extremely unusual match for the Semi-Finals. And he spoke. "Referee—enough."

Absolute and instant silence fell. All eyes turned to the Demolition Boys' captain from the lofty bleacher, and even the Demolition Boys stared at him, wondering on whether he really would take a page out of Ian's book and eliminate both teams—if it can be done.

"It's all right," Tala remarked coolly. "If they can't be eliminated, keep them. We can handle both teams at the Finals."

There was instantaneous uproar and murmuring. Emily stared at the others and said, "Can he _do_ that?"

"I don't know, but it sure is weird," said Johnny. 

"I don't think he can," said Lee.

"Not without Boris, anyway," remarked Michael.

And sure enough, Boris rose from his seat at the special box, staring agape at Tala's open audacity. But before he could say anything, Tala said, "I'm sure that the Demolition Boys are skilled enough to take a two to one match. Everyone here believes that—and I'm sure our leader does too." 

And here he looked at Boris. Boris was caught in a trap. He couldn't possibly refuse now or BIOVOLT and the Demolition Boys will lose face. Boris swallowed and said, "Of course. It seems like a good idea." 

But truthfully, Boris was thinking, _What are you up to, Tala?_

DJ, who was rather flabbergasted, then stammered, "W-Well! If they do allow…then that's the verdict!" 

He turned to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time ever—we have both teams of the Semi-Final match to enter the Finals! They are…the Bladebreakers…" The big screen revealed the Bladebreakers standing together, stunned, "…and the Relic Bladers!!" and the screen panned to the Relic Bladers, who were just as appalled.

The arena was murmuring a moment, like a great jumbo jet revving up, and then suddenly it got louder and louder until everyone was cheering like crazy. Everyone was once again on their feet, cheering.

The Relic Bladers looked at the Bladebreakers as the latter team did the same, and they all grinned and ran to each other as the other teams stood from the bleachers, cheering and catcalling.

"You guys made it!" Alexia exclaimed with a laugh.

"So did you!" said Max, chortling. "This unbelievable!"

"Not only do we get to take on the Demolition Boys tomorrow, but no one's bit beast gets stolen!" said Tyson. "This is so unbelievably cool!"

"You said it," said Jade.

The entire group looked up at the Demolition Boys. Tala looked down at them with a grave face. Mike grinned, and the Relic Bladers all raised up their hands at him like guns and made a motion as if to shoot him.

"Bang," said Patrick, smirking. "You guys are next."

Mike blew on his 'gun' and said, "See you then."

Tala frowned slightly, and turned his eyes on the Bladebreakers, who all smirked at him. "We'll get you," said Tyson. "Just you and your comrades wait."

Tala merely turned around and walked away, forcing all the other Demolition Boys to follow him. The two groups below laughed.

"Come on," said Jade, motioning to them. "Let's go make all the other teams treat us to celebrate."

**Arcan Bladers:** (leaping around) Yeah!! We did it!! We won, we won, we won!!

**Patrick:** This is awesome! We're going to the Finals!!

**Alexia:** And better yet, we have the Bladebreakers with us!!

**Jade:** Yeah! Now we'll get Tala back for sure! Isn't this just great?

**Mike:** You guys—COOL IT!!

**Everyone else:** (shuts up)

**Mike:** Hello. Earth to Arcan Bladers—these are the _Demolition Boys_ we're talking about. We can't take it easy!

**Jade:** Come on, Fearless Leader—live a little, will you? Let us have some fun! (turns to the readers) So, what'd you guys think? Review and tell us!


	18. Chapter Eighteen The Unwinding

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Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own beyblade

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Jade: Whew…this fic is getting eternal…but that's a good thing, isn't it? Thanks for everyone who's reviewed, they really kept us going! Anyway, after all the seriousness, I think we should have some fun. And a lot of fun we shall have indeedy!

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Alexia: (raising an eyebrow) What _is_ your definition of 'fun'?

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Jade: (smirking evilly) Watch and see.

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Mike and Patrick: (edging away) We don't like the sound of that.

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Jade: (smiles at the readers) Read and Review!!

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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Unwinding

"I really don't think we should be celebrating," Kai remarked as they all left the BIOVOLT stadium. "We just made it to the Finals. We haven't won."

"Come on, Kai, don't be such a wet blanket," Tyson answered. "This may be our last chance to celebrate."

"Kai may have a point," said Mike. "The Demolition Boys aren't the type of people you'd want to go up against playing by ear. We should get ready."

"But didn't you hear the rules that DJ said?" Max asked. "One day for each match-up, best of three each day. Maybe we _can_ relax."

"Come on," said Ray. "You saw what the Demolition Boys did to the Majestics. It was two wins straight and the Majestics could barely recover in the battles."

Jade sighed. "Oh…well, I guess you're right. Darn. I really wanted to at least go out and get ice cream or something."

"Oho, and your answer to _that_?" Max elbowed Ray, who reddened and said, "What? She's got a point. At least…ice cream or something."

"You are _such_ a pushover for this girl," Alexia rolled her eyes but grinned at Ray who turned away and said indignantly, "Oh, and Kai isn't for you?"

"Hey, what do _I_ have to do with this?!" Kai demanded.

"It's true, isn't it?" Tyson raised an eyebrow at him with a smirk.

Kai opened his mouth to speak, looked at Alexia, and then snapped it shut and glanced away with a huff. And then Tyson yelled at the top of his lungs, "_Ice cream!!_"

"All right!" Mike exclaimed. "Sheesh… Ice cream it is. Just make it quick…"

"Honestly…" said Kai, shaking his head.

"We'll get some, then," said Jade. "But just a little, okay?"

"Tyson, stop already!" said Max, alarmed as with everyone else in the room, which was the Bladebreakers'. "That's your second gallon!"

"But it's so good…" Tyson said meekly. "Besides, it's not like I ate the first one all by myself…"

"Yeah sure," snorted Ray. "Max had, what, three spoonfuls of the first one? And then you're eating your way down the second…"

"Oh yeah? Well how much have you guys eaten?"

Everyone raised their eyebrows at him, and he saw that although several gallons of ice cream were out, two or three people were eating out of one flavor. 

"We should've known that there is no such thing as 'a little' to Tyson's eating habits…" Kai remarked. He hadn't touched the gallon of chocolate ice cream in front of him.

"_You_ sure know the definition of it," said Alexia. "You haven't touched yours."

"I don't want any."

"Robert—mostly—and the Majestics bought us a gallon of every flavor ice cream in the store and you don't want to eat _anything_?" Patrick stared at him, wiping his mouth clear of blackurrant ice cream. "The word 'picky' is an understatement for you."

"I just don't want anything," Kai bristled at him.

"Candy?" asked Max from his bed, and his slightest movement caused a cascade of candy to slip off his bed. The All-Stars had dumped it all there.

Kai raised his eyebrows at him but rolled his eyes and said, "All right. Pass me a pixie stick."

Tyson snorted back his laugh along with some other of the bladers in the room and instead distracted himself. "Why did they put all the candy there anyway?"

"Because the White Tigers already filled the table," Kenny answered, looking over the mountain of fruit that the White Tigers had sent to their room.

"Boy, when we make them treat us they really do, don't they?" said Mike from where he sat perched on the back of the sofa and eating a entire huge container of ice cream and fruit swimming in chocolate fudge and his shirt was covered in chocolate stains.

"They wanted to, anyway," said Jade. She pushed away the basket of strawberries in front of her and said, "I can't eat any more. Here, Ray, you can have the rest."

"I can't eat anymore either," replied Ray.

Alexia was sitting across the table from Kai and was carefully picking out all the red skittles from a giant bag. "Doing this is kind of fun, actually…almost makes you forget some things…"

"Come on, we're having a little fun before the cyclone touches down," said Patrick, rolling his eyes at her as he took another spoonful of ice cream. "Live a little."

"I am!" said Alexia. 

"Live more, then," Patrick.

"How?" asked Max.

"Like this," said Patrick, scooping up a handful of blackcurrant ice cream and flinging it up into the ceiling. It smacked and stuck up there, and everyone watched, wide eyed.

Slowly, it began to fall and…

__

Splat.

"Oh…man…" Tyson breathed, backing away.

Kai's face was covered in ice cream. Very slowly, he got up, very calmly wiped the ice cream off, then suddenly grabbed a bottle of chocolate fudge and sprayed it into Patrick's face.

Instantly, ice cream and candy went flying across the room with a side order of fruit. Back and forth the food flew, like a hailstorm. Max had the candy arsenal almost all to himself—that is until Tyson got his hands on it and dumped a container of smarties on his head and he was forced to chase after him with a can of cheese that he found.

Kenny sought cover under the table, unwilling to take part in this food fiasco. While he did, however, there was an unheard knock at the door and it opened.

"Hey you guys!" said Lee. "What's all the noise abou—"

__

Bap!

A bag of giant marshmallows exploded on his face. He opened his eyes, blinking away the floury powder that came with the marshmallows. Mariah covered her mouth to hide her laugh—and got hit at the back of the head with an orange.

And, naturally, the White Tigers leapt into the fray and joined in as the doors slammed shut. Gary wasn't fighting—he was picking up the unspoiled pieces here and there. As the tumult continued, none of them running out of ammunition any time soon, more curious eyes—and ears, were at the door.

"What could the racket in there possibly be all about?" Emily wondered as the All-Stars stopped in front of the Bladebreakers' room.

"Let's go find out, then," said Michael. They knocked on the door, and everything suddenly silenced. The All-Stars looked at each other.

"Come in," said Max's stifled sweet voice, like he was keeping something back, like laughter.

Michael shrugged and opened the door wide. And as soon as they did, a barrage of ice cream, candy and fruit came flying out to direct impact at all the All-Stars. This went on for a full ten seconds.

When it stopped, the All-Stars stood frozen, appalled. There was silence again. And then Michael yelled through the ice cream and syrup dripping off his face, "_Charge!!!"_

And the All-Stars leapt into the room, slammed the door shut and the chaos began again. It was something that should've been expected—a certain unavoidable hazard in a room full of riotous beybladers and too much snack food.

As some of the chocolate leaked out from under the door, Enrique happened to pass by. He stopped and stared as the puddle slowly seeped out into the hallway carpet. He looked up and heard the noises. He walked up to the door and tried the handle, but it was locked.

He rapped loudly on the door. "Hey, are you guys all right in there?"

Silence again. "Yeah," said Mike, frozen on the spot, ice cream dripping off him. "Just fine."

Enrique was quite frankly mystified. Especially when a glob of _something_ was partially clogging up the bottom of the door. "Wait there," said Enrique. "I'll get the other Majestics."

He ran off. As his footsteps died away, Michael tossed a handful of ice cream in one hand like a snowball, his uniform caked in food. "How should we execute them?" he asked.

"Same with you?" asked Patrick, his hair dripping in strawberry syrup.

"Nah…I've got an idea," said Tyson, wiping some cheese off his face, grinning. He glanced under the table.

When Enrique returned with the other, similarly puzzled Majestics, they knocked on the door, and an unscathed Kenny met them there. "Hi!" said Kenny, looking rather uncomfortable and extremely nervous. "Wh-what are all you doing here?"

"What's going on in there?" asked Robert.

"N-Nothing," Kenny stammered.

The Majestics gave him incredulous looks. The room behind Kenny was dark and barely anything could be seen. "I don't buy that," said Johnny. 

"You can…come inside," said Kenny rather hesitantly. "But there's something wrong with the lights, though…"

The Majestics were allowed access into the dark room. "It sure smells funny in here," said Oliver. 

"Must be all the food we sent up," said Enrique. He stopped as he stepped on something that made a squishing noise. "Okay…the carpet…is saturated in _something…_"

__

Slam!

The door shut out all the light. And then after a moment, the stunned Majestics blinked into the sudden light, surrounded completely by food-streaked beybladers armed with food arsenal.

"Get them," said Tyson sweetly with a smirk.

And there bombardment began. Johnny ducked, jumped and avoided every hit attempt on him while Oliver, Enrique and Robert were all quickly knocked down by the force of the barrage.

They stopped and Johnny, untouched, yelled, "Ha!"

__

Bloosh!

A water balloon—or a plastic bag full of water, anyway—fell over his head, soaking him from head to toe. He gave a yell—as the best thing to do when you get warred on like this is to war back.

And so the food fight continued for a good twenty restless, chaotic minutes, everyone forgetting that the door was unlocked and the room was flooding over, and finally, authoritative people arrived at the scene.

When the door swung open to receive Judy, Tyson's father and grandfather, Zeus and Mr. Dickinson, it was just that everyone, so caught up in the mess, had rather expected it to be more victims. So that was the reason why all the food went flying at the doorway right at that instant.

__

Splat! Bap! Bloosh! Spat! Bap! Bap! Pow!

And after several more splats, everyone stopped, frozen, to recognized who they just hit and were frankly horrified to see them covered in goop.

"M-Mr. Dickinson!" Kenny gasped.

"Mom!" Max blanched.

"Dad! Grandpa!" gasped Tyson.

"Zeus!" the Relic Bladers chorused.

There was silence and the bladers had _not_ moved from their throw positions. Then, Judy raised up her hand shaking with contained fury, pointed out the door and said, "Every single one of you—march. Straight out—into the grounds. **_Now_**."

They didn't march—they _ran_. They tore out the door in a massive stampede and hurled themselves over to the staircases, laughing and screaming as soon as they were in a mess out the door. If one could only have seen the looks on the people's faces as a stampede of ice-cream-candy-fruit-covered beybladers go about running to the outside…

"_Aaaaaahhhh!!!_"

The beybladers were running around like crazy all over the one side of the grounds they were at, screaming, as a fire hose pelted them all with water—courtesy of Tyson's father. The force of water was so strong that everytime one of them got direct hit, he or she slammed to the ground. 

"It's cold!!" Tyson yelled as he was blasted.

"We'll catch hypothermia!" Emily cried.

"Hold still!" Judy cried through her megaphone. "This is the only way we can wash the lot of you up." She smirked. "And get revenge."

The force of water was sufficient enough to drench all of them the first five seconds of fire, and very soon, a group of very wet, but very clean beybladers were huddled in a bunch in the middle of a patch of ground in the snow bank.

Mr. Dickinson and the other adults, who, unlike the bladers, had the luxury of cleaning up in a hot shower, stood over them. "Had enough?" asked Tyson's dad, giving the hose a shake.

"Yes!!" they all chorused.

"Well…the good news is that the hotel doesn't seem to be too worked up about you all little dudes and dudettes messing up the room and the hall carpet," said Tyson's grandfather. "They're currently cleaning it up, but that means that all of you are on probation and are camping out here tonight."

"That's…not so bad…" Oliver remarked meekly.

"You've never camped before, have you?" Patrick asked him.

"Not…really…" replied Oliver.

"Good luck," snorted Johnny. "I have."

"We're not done," said Mr. Dickinson. "The Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers will practice out here in twenty minutes. The rest of you will _all_ help them train for their match against the Demolition Boys. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," they all replied.

"We have a problem," said Jade, raising her hand. "We…can't…find our beyblades."

"They're lost…somewhere…in the mounds of food up there…" said Patrick, motioning dully to the room window. The rest of the other beybladers nodded.

"Well then, go up there and find them," said Judy. "Don't worry—we'll spray you clean again."

They all groaned, surrendered, and trudged back up to the hotel.

After digging for their beyblades—and shooters and ripcords for some of them—they got sprayed again by the fire hose—this time, mercifully filled with hot water to save them from hypothermia, and it was only after they were allowed to dress did practice commence. The practice was brutally long, going well into the night, but Judy cut it short by nine-thirty, saying that they should rest.

"We wouldn't want you to oversleep again now would we?" she smiled and the Bladebreakers all looked embarrassed. 

And so they all went to go drag up camping gear from where they were dumped by the side of the lawn. "Man…I never expected _this_ to happen," Tyson muttered as he pulled out one of the tents from its bag.

"All for a food fight, eh?" Michael grinned as he passed by, carrying some poles. "Not bad, really…"

"Sez you…" Patrick answered dully. "You weren't the one repeatedly bombarded by beyblades of the best beybladers in the world to battle for practically eight hours straight."

The lawn was set up like a boot camp. There was a clump of three or four tents at each division, which was divided for each team. In front of each clump was a flag, bearing the symbol of each team. 

"Oliver, that's not right—you're gonna end up pitching your tent upside down," Johnny exclaimed from the Majestics' camp.

"I told you, I've never camped before!" Oliver exclaimed, who didn't have to tent poles all right.

"Here, I'll help," said Enrique. "Let's get this done so we can all rest."

The All-Stars finished their camp first, then the White Tigers, and so on. The last to finish were the Majestics. The adults also had a small plot of lawn to themselves, and after making sure that lights out really meant 'lights out', they also retired. Silence enveloped the night, but obviously…some restless ones can't sleep.

Tyson switched on a flashlight from under his sleeping bag. "Psst. Max. Are you awake?"

"Huh?" Max rolled over sleepily from the other side of one of the two-man tents in the Bladebreakers' camp. "What is it?"

"I can't sleep," said Tyson.

"Well _I_ can…"

"Come on, Max. I'm all worked up about tomorrow. Do you think we practiced enough?"

Max laughed. "What kind of a question is that? Of course. Everyone was drilling us non-stop. And we have the Relic Bladers to back us up too. Don't worry."

"Boy, I hope you're right…" there was a pause, and he said, "If we lost the match tomorrow, is it because of the food fight?"

"No," Max replied. "We practiced hard afterwards. The fight was just an…unwinding exercise."

Tyson seemed satisfied and silenced. Unbeknownst to everyone, a shadow crossed over one tent, casting a quick shadow over one camp tents'. The shadows flitted off and vanished.

Tyson's eyes flew open. He sat up. "What was that?"

Gary sat up, nearly tearing through his tent ceiling—he had one to himself—and said, "I smell food." And he slowly scuttled out of his sleeping bag.

"Candy," Patrick muttered, pushing himself up.

"What?" Mike grunted sleepily from his side of the tent. "Pat, the food fight's over."

"No, really…" said Patrick. "Someone has candy. And I just realized how hungry I was."

"Go to sleep," Mike groaned and rolled over. His stomach suddenly gave a growl. Patrick snorted, "Wow, Mike, is that your bit beast or your stomach?"

"Shut up," said Mike, turning red, unseen in the dim light, and got up.

Oliver popped his head out of the tent he shared with Enrique. "Hmm. I'm sure that was chocolate." He kicked Enrique's foot from behind him and said, "Hey! Wake up!"

"Eh?" Enrique stirred. "What?"

"You just said you were hungry," said Oliver. "And I smell food."

"Really…" Enrique rolled over and Oliver nudged him again. "Come on, someone's up and eating without us."

Creeping to the edge of camp, the shadows seemed to be converging on a nearby tree behind the mass of tents. There was movement from there, and a small yellow globe of light was the only torch in the gloom from that direction.

Ray looked out from the edge of the Bladebreakers' camp and saw everyone else stirring, and he was the first one to brave the dark and creep out to see what was going on. Kai, long since been awakened by the moving shadows, followed after him, and Ray muttered, "Watch out for the tent pegs on the ground…" and at the same instant, Tyson tripped and fell face-first into the snowy soil with a thud. He was hushed violently soon after.

At an intersection, Alexia and Jade were already a little to their lead from the Relic Bladers' camp. Lee and Kevin were behind them. From behind Kai came Tyson and Max, with Robert and Johnny who were glancing at the adults' tent to make sure that they won't be caught sneaking off.

And then they came upon the tree, and the yellow light revealed the All-Stars, sitting around a stone bench, using it as a table, and the bench was heaped with cake, soda, fruit and candy. 

"They've been holding out on us," Tyson muttered.

They looked up at them as they approached, and Steve chortled, "What took you so long?"

"Come on," said Michael, swallowing a mouthful of chocolate cake. "We snuck out some food into camp."

"Yeah!" came the whispered cries of everyone else, and they all fell to eating as they all rather hungry, their need for food overruling their desire to sleep.

After everyone grabbed hold of some food and drink, everyone sat around the bench with the yellow battery-powered lamp, making the whole thing look like some sort of bonfire.

"It's a good thing you guys managed to sneak this out," said Mariah. "How'd you do it?"

"There were so many of us at practice—one by one we went in and nabbed some stuff from the dining hall," said Eddy. "And remember when Steve asked if he could go to the bathroom and didn't come back for ages but no one noticed until he was back? He got the soda and candy at a store."

"Man, I'm starving," said Tyson. "That practice was a killer."

"It should be," replied Mike. "We're supposed to be ready for whatever the Demolition Boys can bring us tomorrow."

"_Are _we ready?" asked Alexia.

"Sure we are," said Ray. "Everyone helped us out. And we can all rest easy knowing that we'll be to our full potential tomorrow."

Patrick raised up his Armada into the light, and some light twinkled on it as he said, "Well…I guess there's no holding back now, is there, Fearless Leader?"

"Yeah," Mike replied, and everyone smiled at the Relic Bladers' nickname for their captain. "This is the real deal. And it'll be our one and only shot."

"Or else we'll all blow it and wait for next year," muttered Max. 

"There might not _be_ a next year for us," said Jade gently.

They all looked at the Relic Bladers, and just Patrick shrugged. "If we don't get Tala back in this tournament…we'll be in for rather dire consequences when we return home."

"What do you mean?" asked Kai, setting down his bottle of soda.

For a moment, Mike was silent and he then said, "They're all counting on us to bring him back. We're the best beybladers in our land for goodnessakes. We're not entitled to fail."

"Worst-case scenario isn't pretty," replied Jade. "Second to the worst-case is that we be exiled…or never leave Arcanis again. Not that we were supposed to, to begin with."

"Why, what _is_ worst-case?" asked Max nervously.

"We can say goodbye to these things," Patrick laughed, tossing up his beyblade. "They'll be ritualistically destroyed…and we're lucky if we're not destroyed along with them…"

Everyone paled. "You're…joking, right?" stammered Emily.

"Not the slightest bit," replied Mike almost cheerfully. "We took this upon ourselves. Actually, we weren't even supposed to go out to look for Tala. Arcanis is supposed to be in anonymity and going out to the world in a tournament would put is into unwanted scrutiny. Since Tala left by choice, they were going to give up on him. "

"Who's they?" asked Ray.

"The Arcan High Council—and everyone else," replied Jade. "They were going to give up on him. But we wouldn't. Tala was a champion beyblader and was therefore important, but that wasn't the reason for us. He's our friend. They let us go, on the condition that should we fail, we'd face consequences similar to what one would face for treason."

"Which is…well, for us, they'd destroy our blades," said Patrick. "And then execution, probably. Because we've been exposed to the world when we shouldn't have been. Nobody knows Tala's an Arcan anyway, and they won't go after him anymore."

There was a very uncomfortable pause. "So…you're all risking your lives…to save him?" Kai asked.

"Yes," replied Mike.

"Tala must be one very important person," said Robert. "For you all."

"He is…" said Patrick with a slight smile. "You've no idea."

Jade hugged her knees. "Not like it matters to him at all… He doesn't care anymore. But then again…he doesn't know how much we put on the line."

There was another silence. And it was only now did they realize that there was another huge price at stake. If they lose the Finals, they'll lose their bit beasts, BIOVOLT will undoubtedly seize control of the world, Tala would never be returned to normal, and the Relic Bladers would lose their lives. Never has there been such a huge consequence of losing to a tournament.

Steve, to hide the anxiety from his face, turned away to open a bottle cap. He raised the soda and said, "To victory, then."

Everyone raised their drinks. "To victory."

"Good luck, you guys," said Oliver. 

"Yeah," said Lee, nodding. "Good luck to the tournament."

They were about to resume eating, when suddenly a powerful spotlight was lit down at them. Frozen, they slowly looked up to see the adults standing there.

"And what are you all doing?" asked Zeus.

"Having…a late night snack…" they all said slowly.

Judy then said, "Well if you're hungry, then you shouldn't be eating that kind of food! Now up—let's get to the hotel and see if they can get you all something to eat and not cake and soda."

"Aw, but we were having fun," said Michael.

"And did _you_ start all this, Michael?" Judy asked.

"N-no," Michael shook his head wildly.

"Okay…but up. Come on. Let's get some food and then back to bed."

The Demolition Boys' practice had just ceased for the night. They were all walking back to their living quarters in the abbey. Ian asked, after a few moments, "I still don't know what your motives were for having both the Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers for the Finals, Tala. You even caught Boris in a trap and made him agree to it."

"I have my reasons," Tala remarked coldly.

"Which are?" asked Spencer.

"Since when have you all been so talkative?" Tala snapped.

There was instant silence. Tala surely was rather back to normal. Or as normal as he could be with the Demolition Boys. There was a long pause, and Tala said, "I had them both because I know a way how we can step over them all. All we need is to modify our beyblades."

They all looked at him and Tala said, "The Relic Bladers' have power unsurpassable, while the Bladebreakers have spirit undefeated. We've already beaten them in both fields, but if I know the Arcans they'll remodel the Bladebreakers' blades. They'll use the most powerful element on the beyblades which can only be found in Arcanis."

Ian raised his beyblade. "I've been wondering why our beyblades have been so much heavier…this is the same material the midnight diamond bowl is made of, isn't it?"

"And that's what I practiced you all on," replied Tala coolly. "You all can control your mutated bit beasts well, and you can control the beyblades which have practically the same power their beyblades would have. They can't control their power properly yet. Not as properly."

"Hence the non-stop drill?" Spencer asked.

"That's right. We now overpower them all. Two at the time, we can crush them. We'll all take their bit beasts and that's the end of it. I don't want to waste any more time."

There was another silence, and Bryan spoke. "I may be wrong…but is the reason why you want to crush the Arcans so badly is because they made you waver?"

Tala aimed his shooter and beyblade right to Bryan's face, and the latter didn't even blink. Tala snarled, "Don't you mention that again. They're only trying to stop me from achieving my goal."

Bryan no longer said anything, and Tala strode off with a huff. As he strode down the hall, he thought, _I won't let them stop me. Not Patrick, not Jade, not Alexia, and not even Mike. I'll crush them all._

****

Jade: Well, the night's still young…there're still things that we have to talk about…

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Mike: The consequences that we had are a little…severe, isn't it?

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Alexia: Please, you guys—let's not discuss this, okay? I'm too worried about Tala.

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Patrick: What _I'm _worried about is what Miss Judy and all the other adults are going to make us do on Day Two of beyblade boot camp. (looks to the readers) Well you guys? What do you think? Review, okay?


	19. Chapter Nineteen The Chain of Events Be...

****

Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades do not own Beyblade. We dearly wished we did, though, so we could turn this storyline into a real season.

Jade: Well…things can only get better, you know that, right guys?

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Mike: Yeah, I guess so. I mean, now we know what we're all fighting for, and we're going to have to do our best.

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Patrick: Hello!! Can we cut the emotional part? Have you any idea what Judy and those other adults have in store for us?! It's boot camp!

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Alexia: What's wrong with boot camp? It's _beyblading_ boot camp.

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Jade: (rolling her eyes) I'll take anything that helps us win against the Demolition Boys. (Looks to the audience) All right there, everybody? Well, read and review!! 

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CHAPTER NINETEEN

The Chain of Events Begin

The walk back to camp after the late-night meal was not a very cheerful one, and neither was the meal. The beybladers all dribbled apart as they headed back to the grounds, but there was a noticeable gloom in the air. The adults noticed it, but did not acknowledge it. Zeus divined what the reason was, but did not speak to the Relic Bladers about it.

Walking back to the camp, a hand touched Alexia's shoulder and she turned around to see Max. Max smiled faintly at her and said, "Don't look so down—we'll get your big brother back."

"Thanks, Max—you're an angel," Alexia replied, smiling for him. Max smiled and walked back a few paces off to talk to Tyson and Kenny. Alexia sighed and kept walking, and then she realized that someone was walking alongside her.

It was Kai. He hadn't said anything, but after a moment he most tentatively asked, "Anything…I could…do?"

"You sound as if you don't even want to ask," Alexia gave a hollow laugh.

Kai flushed and turned away. "I'm not used to it."

"I noticed," she answered with a slight smile. "Don't worry about it, Kai…"

A pause, and then he asked, "It doesn't seem to bother you all that there is a chance that you would all die in three days or so, if you lost the tournament."

"Sure, it bothered us…" said Alexia. "During the earlier tournaments. And I admit it bothered me a bit more when I saw Tala and realized how difficult it was going to be to bring him back. But we eventually got used to the idea… We asked for it, anyway…" She let out her breath and said, "But…we don't think about it now."

"Why not?"

"Because…in that brief time that Tala was normal…when we tried to rescue him…we all learned how much he believed in us. And how much he knows that we'll all pull through. So we don't think about losing… we only think about winning and not letting him down."

She glanced at Kai and smiled. "And I know that you Bladebreakers are people he believes in too." Then she turned away and said, "I just don't know if _I_ believe in me…"

Kai glanced at her and said quietly, "I believe in you."

Alexia looked at him, and he gave her a very faint smile before saying, "So you should too. You'll get him back."

For a moment, she just looked back at him, and she smiled. But as she did, there was a chorus of, 'ooohh's around them, and they saw that the other Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers were watching them, smirking.

Kai colored up and demanded, "What are all of _you_ doing here?!"

"We _were_ going to talk about who plays tomorrow," said Mike. "But it appears that the both of you are a little…preoccupied."

"Mike!" Alexia cried, flushing.

"Ah, cool it—we'll talk about it tomorrow," said Patrick, waving it away.

"Yeah," said Tyson, smirking as they walked off. "Wouldn't want to disturb your _date_, Kai…"

Kai took one step towards him and he flew off to the campsite along with the rest. Max waved at them before they dematerialized in the dark, and Alexia just laughed.

"They _do_ make a cute couple…" said Max as they walked back to camp. The campsite was clearly visible now, because a small bonfire was lit and flickering jauntily in the middle of all the tents. The firelight glowed into their faces as they continued to talk.

"Not too bad considering Kai used to be somewhat of a jerk before," said Tyson. "But I didn't realize how mellowed-out he's gone to fall in love."

"So you think he's in love with Alexia?" Mike blinked.

"How should I know?" Tyson shrugged. "I don't know anything about girls and that love stuff."

Mike, Jade and Patrick, however, looked at each other, only so slightly disturbed. As soon as they were in the private space of their own plot of tents, Patrick said, "Am I the only one who thinks that what Tyson just observed is a little…wrong?"

"We don't have the right to bar something like that," Jade said, crossing her arms over her chest. "There's nothing wrong in them liking each other."

"But you know…it's not…right," Mike said, motioning with his hands to express something that he couldn't with words. "I think you know what I'm trying to _say_ here…"

"We never exactly thought that there'd come a time that this would happen…" said Patrick. "And even if it did, we'd just go to Tala and ask him what to do without screwing up… But he's not here anymore."

"So what do we do?" asked Jade.

"Come on, you guys, this is crazy," said Mike. "They can't be…" he groped to say the words and failed, "…that. They're just…close."

They looked up to see Alexia and Kai walking into the camp together, talking, and Kai looked quite comfortable in talking to her. And then Alexia said something and laughed, and Kai laughed a bit, but suddenly flushed and covered his mouth, like he just realized that it wasn't like him. And Alexia just smiled at him.

Jade raised an eyebrow. "I beg to differ."

"Argh…we don't need a complication like this…" Mike said, putting his hands to his cap and rolling his eyes to the pitch and starry sky.

"Hey, if our luck turns bad, we'll all be dead anyway…" Patrick thought aloud.

"Shut up and think positive," said Jade. "We'll win, we'll get Tala back, and we'll go back home—"

"And they'll find out that she likes a foreigner and we let it happen so, yes, and we are _still_ screwed no matter _what_ we do," said Patrick, falling on his back on the grass.

"I hate you, you know that, don't you?" Jade said, making a face at him.

"Simmer down," said Mike. "Maybe they won't mind."

"Fat chance," said Patrick to the sky and Jade said, "I'm going to hate you even more if you keep talking like that."

"That's because, dearest Jade, _you_ like a foreigner too," said Patrick with a snort.

Jade reddened. "I—well, I—" And Patrick burst out into an incredulous laugh as he sat up. "Oh you can't even be given leave to deny it." He took her head and turned it to the Bladebreakers' plot of tents where Ray was talking to Kenny on something, the firelight flickering most becomingly on his face. 

Patrick pointed at him and said with a sick sweet smile, "Right there."

Jade tried to prevent her cheeks from flaming up but found it not possible. Ray turned and saw her, and he smiled and waved, and Jade smiled and waved slightly back. Ray turned around to Kenny, and Jade turned away, saying, "That's different. _He_ doesn't like _me._"

"Denial," Patrick stated. "That's the first stage of it, then _POW_!! It hits you like a brick going 500 km/h."

"Shut up!" Jade exclaimed, hitting him upside the head and blushing even harder.

Alexia walked into camp and said, "What's up?"

"Jade's denying that she likes Ray and he likes her back," Patrick automatically said and Jade pushed him into the grass where he hit with the thump.

"He does," Alexia rolled her eyes.

"And you say that _why_?" Jade asked.

"The way he always smiles at you," said Mike, grinning.

"He's being nice."

"Everytime something happens, he's with the first to get to the scene," said Patrick.

"He was worried, like any of you."

"He's always hanging around with you," Alexia supplied.

"He is being _friendly_, what is the _matter_ with all of you?" Jade demanded. She crossed her arms over her chest and said, "It's nothing to be discussed—how did this all start again anyway?"

Mike cleared his throat, "About…things." He suddenly stood up and said, "You know, I think we should all get to bed. Come on—we need to get rest for tomorrow."

"Right," said Patrick, getting up. "Go to sleep, ladies. Let's go."

The Relic Bladers then retired to their tents just as everyone else vanished into theirs. Judy said over the megaphone, "And this time, 'lights out' really _is_ 'lights out', you all got that?"

Tyson's father doused the campfire, and tents zipped up and there was relative silence. As the wind passed by, rustling the leaves of the trees, it was kind enough to conceal whispering going on within the tents of certain beybladers in the plots.

Max, staring up at the ceiling of his tent, said, "You really think we'll win, Tyson?"

"Oh now it's _you_ who's worried," said Tyson with a snort.

"I can't help but be," said Max. "I mean…there's a lot at stake here."

"We will, don't worry about it," said Tyson. "We should believe in ourselves or we really won't."

"You're right," said Max. "All right. I won't worry about it."

In the other tent of the Bladebreaker plot, there was also conversation, and Kai said, "I just don't know. I don't even know if it's a good or a bad thing."

"Well what's wrong if you like someone?" asked Ray.

"There isn't anything wrong with it—it's just it's not _like_ me," replied Kai. 

"It's not even like you to be telling me things like this," said Ray, glancing at him. "I'd expected you to talk about the tournament."

"I can't focus," said Kai. "I have to get this out of my system."

"You can't take love out of your system just like that," Ray laughed. "It's impossible."

"And you'd know about that, won't you?" Kai snorted, expecting Ray to deny it, but Ray didn't say anything for a moment. And then he said, "Well…I don't know."

There was a pause and Kai said, "It's Jade, isn't it? What about Mariah?"

"What about her?" Ray raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't she…I mean, didn't she use to be…" Kai on purposely let this statement trail away.

"Mariah and I are just friends, and we've made that pretty clear," said Ray in a matter-of-factly. "Besides, she seems to be gravitating towards Lee on that if that's what you're trying to say."

"And Robert practically gives the all-clear approval for you."

"He didn't say anything at all about it and it has nothing to do with what you've asked me. I'm not the one getting distracted—you are."

"Well what do you want me to do, huh? Just walk up to her, tell her and get it over with?"

"Not a bad idea, I'll say…"

"You're out of your mind!"

"It's probably the only way, you know. The only way to…'get it out of your system', as you say it…"

"I'd like to see you do it first."

"Not happening. She doesn't like me. I'll end up being shot down and making a total fool of myself."

Kai groaned and rolled over in his sleeping bag, trying to block out the only way out of his dilemma proposed by Ray. "Sleep on it. It'll come to you."

"I ought to say that to _you_," said Ray, but he didn't say anything more after that.

Kai lay awake, tense. _I have to stop thinking about it. What am I so worried about, anyway? That I'd get shot down? That sort of thing never used to bother me before. But that was because I never had someone that important to me before. If I don't do something, I won't be able to concentrate. Not at all. But I just _can't_ do what Ray just suggested._

And as this was happening both girls from the other nearby Relic Blader plot were awake.

"Tomorrow's the first match of the finals," said Alexia. "Best of three. What do you think?"

"We have a pretty good shot," said Jade. "Two to one, like they asked for. But I think that they'll have something up their sleeves for sure. They can't possibly be like that the whole way. They know they're dealing with us."

"Tala does," said Alexia grimly. "Do you think he'll tell them the composition of our beyblades?"

"Most likely. And then they'll come up with an ingenious way to do something about that. It's our beyblade composition that's the only thing that's giving us an advantage."

"That and we have a lot of friends to back us up and keep us going to the end."

Jade laughed. "You're right there."

There was a long and uncomfortable pause. Then Jade asked, "Hey Alexia…do you…um…"

"What?" she asked.

"No, maybe I shouldn't ask. It'd awfully rude of me."

"No, just tell me."

Jade glanced at her. "Well…do you…_like_ Kai?"

Alexia reddened and even if it was dark it was obvious. "Well… I don't exactly know how to answer that… Maybe I do, I guess. He's been awfully nice."

"The Bladebreakers would laugh outright if they heard that."

"Well he's nice to _me_, anyway," said Alexia. "And…well, I guess I do like him."

There was silence, and then Jade said, "But Alexia…you know…you _do_ know that you're not supposed to, right?"

Alexia looked at her, and Jade said, "You know who you are…and you know the rules. I'm not saying it's a very bad thing because I think it's great, but… what do you intend to do about it?"

Alexia then replied, "Maybe we shouldn't talk about it. Let's just focus on the tournament for now and getting Tala back."

"You're right. All right then, good night…"

The wind died away. And everything was now silent.

Judy stepped out of the tent about six-thirty in the morning—the sun was barely up. The first match wasn't until this afternoon, though, as they've just found out through an update that Zeus got from an e-mail in his laptop. It was from Mr. Dickinson, who didn't camp out with them, and since it was considered legitimate, they decided that there should be something that ought to keep them busy in the morning.

Judy looked to Tyson's grandfather, who held the megaphone in one hand, and an air-horn in the other. "Ready?" she asked.

"Right," said the old man. "Let's get them all up, then."

"Day two of beyblading boot camp—let's see how they do," said Judy, snapping some muffs over her ears.

There was silence, and then the airhorn was let loose and…

__

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPP!!

The beybladers all screamed and sat up so quickly that right after the first, "_Aaaaaaah!!_" there was an instant united yell of, "_Ow!!"_ that followed it as their craniums all hit the tent roofs. Michael and Eddy were so tall that they nearly ripped through theirs. Gary _really_ ripped through his, and his head popped out from the tent roof.

The airhorn pierced the morning stillness and did not cease until all the beybladers had rapidly scrambled out of their sleeping bags and tore out into the open to see what in the world was making all that racket so darn early in the morning.

They regretted the instant they were all out because the cold Russian morning had caught them all in their sleeping attires. They cried out again in the cold and were about to duck back into the warmth of the tent when the airhorn promptly stopped and a voice said, "Everybody freeze!"

"You've got to be kidding!" Patrick snapped, his teeth chattering in the cold as they all froze, almost literally, in their tracks.

It was Judy and she said, "All of you, to the center at the campfire, please!"

"Boy, I could sure use that campfire right about now," said Enrique, his breath issuing out in a cloud as the Majestics walked over to the campfire.

"Single file, everybody, now!" said Tyson's father. "Line up, firing-squad line, please!"

Shivering, the group all did as told, and Michael said, "Is this _still_ punishment for yesterday?"

"Yes."

They all groaned. "I'll never participate in another food fight again for as long as I live," Kenny muttered.

Tyson's grandfather, strolling around in combat boots and a full regalia of fatigues—much to his grandson's utmost embarrassment—held a riding whip in one had an studied the ranks of beybladers. He stopped upon reaching the Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers. 

He turned to the others and said, "Everybody else—you can go change clothes. But these two groups, stay here."

There was a chorus of "yes!" from the other groups as they scrambled back to their tents, but the other two picked out teams groaned.

"Mom, please," Max begged. "It's practically two hundred below zero out here—in Kelvin scale!"

"Be patient," said Judy calmly. She turned behind her where Zeus was. "All right, then."

Zeus nodded and handed each beyblader their beyblades, which had been taken the night before. The Relic Bladers took theirs, but each Bladebreaker nearly dropped his as it was handed to him.

"What happened?" Tyson asked. "They weigh a _lot_."

Mike glanced at their beyblades and did a double take. "Hey wait a minute… are those flecks…" he looked up at Zeus, who nodded and said, "We decided you guys needed a little remodeling. I've balanced all of your beyblades—they're in perfect condition—with a little something extra."

"Which is?" asked Ray.

"Arcantitanium," replied Zeus. "The element that completely makes up the Relic Bladers'. It can only be found in Arcanis and is one of—if not the most—most indestructible elements in the world. There's nothing like those beyblades anywhere else."

"Oh, this is so cool!" said Max, looking at his Draciel which had a metallic shimmer to it.

"Unfortunately we didn't have enough Arcantitanium left with us to remake your beyblades completely, and we highly doubted that you would've wanted us to anyway," said Zeus. "So your old friends are back, but better." He smiled. "In Arcanis, beyblades with that metal are called Titan Blades. They should be one of the most powerful in the world. We're still experimenting with other ways to use it for beyblades, but so far the result has been what you see with the Relic Bladers' own."

"Man, we're not used to using such heavy beyblades," said Tyson.

"You think _that's_ heavy," Patrick snorted. He tossed Armada to him. "Catch. But mind your hands—it can cut."

Tyson gasped and tried to catch it without chopping his hands off, but it slipped and landed on his foot. "_Ouuuch_!!!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, much so that everyone else ran out of their tents. They saw Tyson hopping around on one foot comically until he fell over and smacked into a snow bank.

"Are you all right?" the Relic Bladers and Bladebreakers asked, all hanging over him.

"Whoa, sorry," said Patrick. "I thought you were going to catch it."

"That would've meant I wasn't in my right mind," Tyson said through gritted teeth, clutching his foot. "No prob, though—I'll live. I can walk. In a few hours or so…"

"Don't do that again, Pat—you could've hit his toes off," said Mike, looking up at him, and Patrick nodded, wide-eyed.

The reason for the very early rising was, it turns out, was to have them all train the Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers one final time. And the Bladebreakers obviously needed a little more getting used to their new beyblades.

__

Crash!

"Ray, that's the _second_ stadium!" Mariah groaned.

"I can't help it," Ray answered. "Driger is going too fast, slinging about and now that he's heavier I can't control his inertia that well. He'll naturally slam into things."

"You slammed right through the stadium wall, though," said Lee, looking at a large crack in the beystadium.

"It's a good thing we were put to practice, then," said Max, who already had the heaviest blade and now had an even heavier one. His Draciel practically sent Emily's Trygator into orbit at impact—as well as his own beyblade.

Emily, who was nursing her cracked Trygator that she'd hunted for all the way to the bushes at the other side of the grounds, muttered, "I'll say. You'll fly right out of the BIOVOLT stadium if you didn't."

"Having a new blade like this is all good, but there's definitely a downside if you're not used to it," said Tyson, who was staring at his Dragoon.

"Arcantitanium is heavy, yes, but in some ways it also makes your blade faster," Alexia said. "It's just been discovered, and we still haven't figured out how it can be so heavy and yet go so fast…"

"…and how it makes so much damage with doubling inertia," muttered Kai as he and the other Majestics dragged another beystadium into the grounds.

"Boy, I wonder what it'll be like when we finally get used to this," said Max. "Those Demolition Boys will never know what hit them."

"Uh…I don't think so," said Jade, looking at them. "Tala knows about Arcantitanium. Most probably they'll do something to counter us."

Kenny, typing at his laptop nearby, said, "Most probably they'll be using the same makeup of the Midnight Diamond bowl. It's so far has managed to be sturdy enough to take the abuse the Relic Bladers had put on it."

"I guess that's why Zeus had your blades remodeled too," said Mike. "The old makeup of your blades would have never withstood them."

"But now they can," said Ray. "We better get used to them quick."

"Good luck," snorted Patrick. "We've had ours for ages and as you all know we still haven't very properly mastered their control."

There was an 'oof' from Michael as he tried to catch Max's haywire Draciel that went flying out of the beystadium. He'd leapt up and was nearly knocked down. "Whoa," he said. "That was some pitch…"

"Beats yours, anyway," Mike remarked, though not unkindly as he remembered the match he had with Michael. 

"If you think that's heavy, then you don't know how hard _our_ blades can hit," said Alexia.

"I do," grumbled Tyson. "My foot's still stinging."

Emily pushed up her glasses as she looked that the Arcans' beyblades. "Those points and blades look terribly sharp… they're real, aren't they?"

"That's right," said Jade. "Hence the gloves. We'd all have been long since cut our fingers off."

"I guess we'll have to work our way up to that, then," said Tyson, grimacing at the beyblade. "But I'm getting the feeling that I really just want to settle with what I have now, thank you."

"Don't blame you," shrugged Mike.

A tap was at Alexia's shoulder, and it was Kai, looking incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. "What is it?" asked Alexia.

"Can I…can I talk to you for a moment?" he said, his lips barely moving.

"Well sure…" said Alexia, blinking at him. "What is it?"

Kai opened his mouth but no sound came out. He closed it, turned away, and tried again but also was not able to make himself clear. "I—it's just that…you see, I…"

He groaned and walked off slowly, saying, "Oh forget it. Sorry for bothering you…"

And he went to where the Majestics were. Alexia was quite puzzled. _I wonder what was up with that…_ _What was the matter with him?_

Alexia turned around and saw Jade nearby, pretending not to notice. Alexia walked over to her and said, "You did see that, didn't you?"

"Yes," said Jade calmly. "Why?"

"Well what do you think that was all about?" she asked. 

"I'm not too entirely sure and I don't think I should jump to such conclusions," replied Jade. "But if I'm right, I'm sure that it's something that'll surprise you."

Alexia raised an eyebrow at her. "You're being on purposely vague, aren't you?"

"Yep," said Jade as Mariah hurried over to them. She looked around and said, "Hey you guys, can I ask you something?"

"Uh…okay…" said Jade, and the three of them walked a little way off.

Mariah glanced around before saying, "I've…kind of a problem…"

"What is it?" asked Alexia.

"See…I like someone. But…I don't know if I could tell him."

The two Arcans looked at each other and then back at Mariah. "Who exactly is the guy?"

Mariah glanced around a moment, then bent forward and whispered to the girls, and they all burst into laughter as Mariah blushed but was smiling all the same.

From another side of the grounds, Ray was obviously trying to hold back his peals of laughter and a crimson-faced Kai snapped, "Oh shut up."

"Come on, I think it was great that you tried," said Ray, smiling. "Sure, you didn't go through with it…but at least you tried, right?"

"And now she thinks I'm a freak," Kai retorted.

"It's not like you to be so concerned about this kind of a thing," said Ray, raising an eyebrow, and Kai sat down, saying, "I haven't been like me all week, if you must know. And this sort of thing shouldn't surprise you."

"Don't worry, she doesn't think you're a freak," said Ray.

"Who said I was worried?!" Kai demanded.

"It's written all over your face," replied Ray.

Kai snorted and turned away, and Robert said, "Come on, quit chatting you two and let's get back to practice."

As the Bladebreakers' captain stood up to practice on his still uncontrollably flying Dranzer, Ray glanced over to where the girls were, talking about something. They were all laughing, as was Jade, and Ray involuntarily smiled.

"And what might you be smiling at?"

He jumped and saw Robert next to him. Robert raised an eyebrow and looked over to where Ray was looking, and he flushed slightly as Robert saw the girls. His face frowned slightly and Ray said, attempting to draw off the subject as he saw the warning signs, "So! Back to practice?"

Robert rolled his eyes, "Ray, look. I think you won't deny it if I said that it's getting increasingly obvious that you may have feelings for_ my cousin_." He stressed the final two words and Ray paled slightly. "But leave her alone, all right? You must focus at the task at hand. I don't need you distracting her and her distracting you."

"Distracting…her?" Ray blinked. "So you really think she likes me?" and he quickly slapped a hand over his mouth in horror of what he just said to Robert's face.

Robert now looked rather furious but took great care not to show it too much. He strode away and said, "Come on, Ray—back to practice—I'll drill you myself…"

Ray bit his lip and followed him. _What did I just get myself into?_

The airhorn sounded again, signaling a break from practice, and instantly, the Bladebreakers and Relic Bladers fell onto the grassy and yet snowy earth, exhausted. 

"Whoa…" said Max, panting from where he lay sprawled on the ground. "Good workout."

"Good torture, you mean," Patrick said dully. "Somebody fetch a wheelbarrow—I can't walk."

Ray just groaned from next to him. "Tell me, you guys—is Driger still whole? I don't have the energy to lift him and see for myself—Robert might've drilled me a little too hard."

"Oh and what did you do _now_?" asked Tyson, finding enough strength to smirk from the ground.

"What makes you think that _I_ did something?" Ray asked.

"Because Robert was fine with you 'till now," said Mike. "And he's drilled you hard all of a sudden? Come on—if it needed _his_ personal attention then you must've done _something_…"

"Ah, let's not discuss that, all right?" Ray groaned.

Mike took off his cap and put it over his face. "I'll die right here if all of you don't mind. Resurrect me sometime around two in the afternoon."

"You can't," said Alexia reproachfully. "We have to eat. Then we need to discuss line-up. _Then_ we have to do a final run and then we leave for BIOVOLT stadium."

"Oh man…"

"Hey, you're supposed to be the captain here," said Jade.

"That doesn't entitle me to be a god," he replied.

"All right, you all, get up," said Judy, standing over them, but she was smiling. "All of you did a very good job. You've just about gotten really used to your new beyblades."

"And a good thing too," said Zeus. "Because this kind of practice is the only thing we can do in comparison to what the Demolition Boys might have in their high-tech abbey. What _is_ training in there like, Kai? You've been there, haven't you?"

"Yeah," said Kai, sitting up. "They have virtual reality, the highest technologies and high-level training and equipment… and they do things to bladers there that I'm not exactly comfortable on talking about—all I can say is that this practice here can only scratch the surface of what they must be going through."

"It must be terrible there," Alexia murmured.

"It is," said Kai. "But that's how they do it there. The Demolition Boys are their crowning achievements."

Judy nodded. "You've all done your best. Whatever happens later, don't worry—we all believe in you."

The Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers looked at each other, and nodded. They all were thinking, _Here it goes. It's about to get really messy._

****

Jade: Eurgh. How can we eat? I feel like I've got a dozen butterflies in my stomach. The Finals, guys! The Finals!

****

Alexia: You've got butterflies—_I've_ got hornets. That's my big brother we're going against! Are we out of our minds?!

****

Mike: Shut it! Listen, you guys—think positive! We'll never win if you keep thinking that!

****

Patrick: He's right.

****

Jade: You _always_ think that Fearless Leader is right.

****

Patrick: But he almost always is! The Finals are here and the only thing we can do now is face it head on.

****

Alexia: (turns to the audience) So, you guys? What did you guys think of this chapter? How do you think the Finals are going to go? Review, okay?


End file.
